This is the army of Pyrrhos of Epeiros, rated by Hannibal as the best general ever, but who after heavy casualties in battles against the Romans was also the origin of the term “Pyrrhic Victory”. He first fought as a subordinate of Antigonos One Eye, then competed with Demetrius for control of Macedonia. He intervened in Italy to protect Italiote Greek cities against the Romans winning a series of expensive battles, then moved to Sicily and fought Carthaginians. Returning home to pursue his ambitions in Macedonia, he was killed in street fighting by a woman throwing a tile from a roof top. Pyrrhos not only reorganised the Epeirot infantry into Macedonian-style phalangites, but was probably responsible for the spread of shields among the Hellenistic cavalry, having become familiar in Italy with the use of shields by his Tarentine allies. Shields were not compatible with the long xyston formerly used by this cavalry, which was often held in both hands. Plutarch described him personally using the xyston, but his shield became a trophy after his last battle. References: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars D. Head, Pyrrhus of Epirus J. Champion.
— Pyrrhic Army 300 BC - 281 BC
I/47 — ILLYRIAN 700 BC - 10 AD
II/16 — ASIATIC EARLY SUCCESSOR 320 BC - 285 BC
II/17 — LYSIMACHID 320 BC - 281 BC
II/18 — MACEDONIAN EARLY SUCCESSOR 320 BC - 260 BC
II/5 — LATER HOPLITE GREEK 448 BC - 225 BC
— Pyrrhic Army 280 BC - 272 BC
I/61 — EARLY CARTHAGINIAN 550 BC - 275 BC
II/10 — CAMILLAN ROMAN 400 BC - 275 BC
II/18 — MACEDONIAN EARLY SUCCESSOR 320 BC - 260 BC
II/31 — HELLENISTIC GREEK 278 BC - 146 BC
II/5 — LATER HOPLITE GREEK 448 BC - 225 BC
II/9 — SYRACUSAN 410 BC - 210 BC