This plate was discovered at the beginning of the Twentieth Century in the necropolis of ancient Capena and is the finest example of a series which was already known to include pieces unearthed at Aleria (Corsica) and Norchia (Lazio). The exceptional level of detail in the decoration makes it possible to clearly identify an adult Indian war elephant equipped for battle. Strapped to its back is a crenelated tower structure defended by soldiers and large bronze shields. Elephants are known to have been used by King Pyrrhus of Epirus in battle against the Romans both at Heraclea (280 BCE) and Beneventum (275 BCE). The presence of a smaller elephant, clinging by its trunk to the adult animal, could be an allusion to a decisive episode which took place at Beneventum when a runaway baby elephant in search of its mother caused chaos to break out in the ranks of Pyrrhus’ army and resulted in the Romans gaining the upper hand. This plate could well have been crafted in memory of the triumph celebrated in Rome after the victory over Pyrrhus, in which some of the elephants captured from the enemy were led through the city for the first time.