Heraclea Lucania in the context of Agri (river)

Zeuxis (/ˈzjuːksɪs/; Ancient Greek: Ζεῦξις) (of Heraclea) was a late 5th-century- early 4th-century BCE Greek artist famed for his ability to create images that appeared highly realistic. None of his works survive, but anecdotes about Zeuxis's art and life have been referenced often in the history and literature of art and in art theory.

Much of the information about Zeuxis comes from Pliny the Elder's Natural History, but his work is also discussed by Xenophon and Aristotle. One of the most famous stories about Zeuxis centers on an artistic competition with the artist Parrhasius to prove which artist could create a greater illusion of nature. Zeuxis, Timanthes, and Parrhasius were painters of the Ionian School of painting. The Ionian School flourished during the 4th century BCE.

Publius Valerius Laevinus was Roman consul in 280 BC. A patrician, his plebeian colleague was Tiberius Coruncanius. During his consulship he was assigned to southern Italy to conduct the Pyrrhic War against Pyrrhus of Epirus.

Moving south, he fortified Roman lines of communication in southern Italy by garrisoning hostile Lucania with allied troops. He also Pyrrhus' attempts to insert himself as arbitrator of Rome's dispute with the Italiote city of Tarentum. In the summer, Laevinus engaged Pyrrhus at Heraclea with both generals commanding roughly 20,000 men. The resulting battle, however, was a Roman defeat which forced Laevinus to withdraw northwards across the Apennines into Campania. Reinforced with two freshly raised legions, he was able to deter Pyrrhus' pursuit and with the Epirotes' lack of siege equipment force them to withdraw south.