Portal:Military of Greece/Selected biography/3

Attalus I Soter (Greek: "Savior"; 269 BCE – 197 BCE) Livy says that Attalus died in the consulship of Cornelius and Minucius (197 BCE) at the age of 72, having reigned 44 years. Polybius also says that he lived 72 and reigned 44 years. Strabo says that he reigned 43 years. He ruled Pergamon, a Greek polis in what is now Turkey, from 241 BCE to 197 BCE. He was the second cousin and the adoptive son of Eumenes I. Strabo says that he was the cousin of Eumenes. Pausanias, probably following Strabo, says the same. But modern writers have concluded that Strabo had skipped a generation; whom he succeeded, and was the first of the Attalid dynasty to assume the title of king.

Attalus won an important victory over the Galatians, newly arrived Celtic tribes from Thrace, who had been, for more than a generation, plundering and exacting tribute throughout most of Asia Minor without any serious check. This victory, celebrated by the triumphal monument at Pergamon, famous for its Dying Gaul, and the liberation from the Gallic "terror" which it represented, earned for Attalus the name of "Soter", and the title of "king."

A courageous and capable general and loyal ally of Rome, he played a significant role in the first and second Macedonian Wars, waged against Philip V of Macedon. He conducted numerous naval operations, harassing Macedonian interests throughout the Aegean, winning honors, collecting spoils, and gaining for Pergamon possession of the Greek islands of Aegina during the first war, and Andros during the second, twice narrowly escaping capture at the hands of Philip. (Read more...)