Megacles ( grc, Μεγακλῆς) was an officer in the service of

Pyrrhus of Epirus Pyrrhus (; grc-gre, Πύρρος ; 319/318–272 BC) was a Greek king and statesman of the Hellenistic period.Plutarch. '' Parallel Lives'',Pyrrhus... He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house, and later he be ...

, who accompanied that monarch on his expedition to Italy in 280 BC. He is mentioned as accompanying Pyrrhus when he reconnoitred the Roman camp previous to the

battle of Heraclea The Battle of Heraclea took place in 280 BC between the Romans under the command of consul Publius Valerius Laevinus, and the combined forces of Greeks from Epirus, Tarentum, Thurii, Metapontum, and Heraclea under the command of Pyrrhus, kin ...

, and in that action was the means of saving the king's life by exchanging armour with him, and thus directing the efforts of the assailants upon himself instead of Pyrrhus. He fell a victim to his devotion, being slain by a Roman named Publius Decius Mus.

References

{{SmithDGRBM (Plut. Pyrrh. 16, 17 ; Zonar. viii. 3.) Ancient Epirotes Ancient Greeks who were murdered Ancient Greek generals Pyrrhic War