Attalus I Soter

Successor of: Eumenes I

Relatives:

• Father: Attalus, brother of Philetaerus
• Mother: Antiochis, granddaughter of Seleucus I Nicator
• Wife: Apollonis of Cyzicus
• Children: Eumenes II Soter, Attalus II Philadelphus, Philetaerus, Athenaeus

Main deeds:

• 270/269: Born
• Adopted by Eumenes I
• 241: Succeeds to the throne
• He refuses to pay tribute to the Galatians and defeats them near Pergamon; from now on, the Attalids present themselves as protectors of Greece against the barbarians; Attalus accepts the surname Soter, 'Savior'.
• 240: Outbreak of civil war in the Seleucid Empire; of Seleucus II Callinicus is challenged by Antiochus Hierax, who is defeated by Attalus. Until 227, the frontier of his zone of influence is at the Taurus.
• Seleucus III Keraunos and his general Achaeus start to push back Attalus.
• Attalus, employing Galatian mercenaries, conquers Greek towns along the southern shore of the Black Sea.
• 222: Death of Seleucus III; Achaeus proclaims himself king.
• 216: Attalus concludes an alliance with the Seleucid king Antiochus III the Great against Achaeus.
• 211: Attalus allies himself to the Aetolian League and (indirectly) to Rome, which is at war with the Carthaginians (Hannibal) and king Philip V of Macedonia. Pergamon acquires the isle of Aegina.
• 209: Attalus captures Oreus on Euboea, but is attacked at home by king Prusias I of Bithynia.
• 205: Peace of Phoenice between Macedonia and Rome, and between Bithynia and Pergamon.
• 204: The stone of Cybele sent to Rome
• 201: Philip V of Macedonia invades the Pergamene kingdom; undecided naval battle near Chios; Attalos asks Rome for support, and concludes an alliance with Athens and Rhodes, which is supported by the Romans, who launch the Second Macedonian War.
• During this war, Attalus captures Oreus again and also obtains Andros.
• 197: Attempt to win over Boeotia for the Roman-Pergamene coalition; during a speech, Attalus has a heart attack; he dies in Pergamon and is succeeded by his son.