Pyrrhic War
The Pyrrhic War (280-275 BCE) was a conflict between the Roman Republic and the Greek king Pyrrhus of Epirus. It began when Pyrrhus was invited to help the Greek city of Tarentum against Rome. The war is notable for its battles, where Pyrrhus won significant victories but suffered heavy losses, leading to the term "Pyrrhic victory," which describes a win that comes at such a cost that it is almost tantamount to defeat.
Despite his initial successes at battles like Heraclea and Asculum, Pyrrhus eventually withdrew from Italy due to the unsustainable toll on his forces. The war highlighted the resilience of Rome, which continued to expand its influence in the Mediterranean despite the challenges posed by Pyrrhus and his allies.