The Timeline based on the thread I started before.
281 BC
Tarentum, part of the Magna Grecia in the southern Italian peninsula, angers Rome. It faces certain doom under the imminent Roman attack. So, it goes to Pyrrhus of Epirus for help.
Pyrrhus goes to the Oracle of Delphi for advice. The Oracle encourages Pyrrhus. So, Epirus goes on an Italian adventure, hoping to carve an empire there, and allying with the King of Macedon.
280 BC
Pyrrhus arrives in Italy with 3,000 cavalry, 2,000 archers, 500 slingers, 20,000 infantry and 19 war elephants to help the Greeks in Southern Italy.
The two armies meet in battle soon enough- The Battle of Heraclea. The Roman army, under consulPublius Valerius Laevinus, is defeated by Pyrrhus due to their war elephants and suerior cavalry. Due to the victory, the Lucani, Bruttii, and Messaopian tribes join Pyrrhus, along with the Greek cities of Croton and Locri. Here, he tries to push a peace treaty with the Romans, which they decline. He winters in Campania.
279 BC
Pyrrhus marches north to Apulia, and meets the Romans in the battle of Asculum, this time much closer to Rome. Romans begin worrying. -POD- Am able Roman force, led by consul Publius Decius Mus, joins in battle with Pyrrhus, the Tarantines, Samnites and others.
The Romans use a large number of anti-elephant devices, becase of their loss to elephants into the earlier battle of Heraclea. The battle was yet another encounter between the Roman legions and the Alexandrian, or phalanx army.
However, Epirus places his army more smartly, occupying the hard ground that in OTL, the Roman Army would use to whittle down his forces and give birth to the 'Phyrric Victory' idea.
In OTL, the Epiriotic victory would just foreshadow Roman dominance that would bring down Carthage. Here, the Romans are in deep trouble. However, the war continues.
278 BC
-POD 2- Pyrrhus receives two offers simultaniously, one from the Sicilians to liberate their island from Carthage, the other from the Macedonians to ascend to their throne (King Ceraunus was killed by Gauls). With his successes in Italy, and decline to visit the Oracle at Delphi again (who would tell him to support the Sicilians, no doubt), he decides for the latter option, thinking of taking Sicily later.
Carthage will use this to assert more control over Sicily.
Pyrrhus goes and takes Macedon, driving out the Gauls.
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Will continue today, later.