Attalid dynasty

Kingdom of Pergamon
282 BC–133 BC


Coat of arms

Capital Pergamon
Languages Greek
Lycian, Carian, Lydian
Government Monarchy
King
   282–263 BC Philetaerus
  263–241 BC Eumenes I
  241–197 BC Attalus I
  197–159 BC Eumenes II
  160–138 BC Attalus II
  138–133 BC Attalus III
  133–129 BC Eumenes III
Historical era Hellenistic period
   Philetaerus takes control of the city of Pergamon 282 BC
   Attalus III bequeathed the kingdom to the Roman Republic 133 BC
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Seleucid Empire
Roman Republic

The Attalid dynasty (/ˈætəld/; Greek: Δυναστεία των Ατταλιδών) was a Hellenistic dynasty that ruled the city of Pergamon after the death of Lysimachus, a general of Alexander the Great. The Attalid kingdom was the rump state left after the collapse of the Lysimachian Empire. One of Lysimachus' officers, Philetaerus, took control of the city in 282 BC. The later Attalids were descended from his father and they expanded the city into a kingdom. Attalus I proclaimed himself King in the 230s BC, following his victories over the Galatians. The Attalids ruled Pergamon until Attalus III bequeathed the kingdom to the Roman Republic in 133 BC[1] to avoid a likely succession crisis. A war with Eumenes III resulted in the creation of Roman province of Asia over much of the territory.

On the interior of the Pergamon Altar is a frieze depicting the life of Telephus, son of Herakles, whom the ruling Attalid dynasty associated with its city and utilized to claim descent from the Olympians. Pergamon, having entered the Greek world much later than its counterparts to the west, could not boast the same divine heritage as older city-states and retroactively had to cultivate its place in Greek mythology.

Dynasty of Pergamon

Genealogy

 
 
Attalus
 
Boa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PhiletaerusEumenes
 
SatyraAttalus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eumenes I
 
Philetaerus (?)
 
 
Attalus
 
Antiochis
 
Eumenes (?)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Attalus I
 
Apollonis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stratonice
 
Eumenes II
 
(?)
 
Attalus II
 
Philetaerus
 
Athenaeus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Attalus IIIEumenes III

Namesakes

Notes

  1. Shipley (2000) pp. 318-319.

Sources

External links

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