Attalus of Macedonia
Encyclopedia
Attalus son of Andromenes
the Stymphaean, and one of Alexander's officers, was accused with his brothers, Amyntas
and Simmias
, of having been engaged in the conspiracy of Philotas
, 330 BC
, but was acquitted, together with his brothers. In 328 BC
, Attalus was left with Polyperchon
and other officers in Bactria
with part of the troops, while the king himself marched against the Sogdians
. He accompanied Alexander in his expedition into India
, and was employed in several important duties. In Alexander's last illness, 323 BC
, he was one of the seven chief officers who passed the night in the temple of Serapis
at Babylon
, in order to learn from the god whether Alexander should be carried into the temple.
After the death of Alexander, Attalus joined Perdiccas
, whose sister, Atalante, he had married. He accompanied his brother-in-law in his unfortunate campaign against Egypt
in 321 BC
, and had the command of the fleet. After the murder of Perdiccas, all his friends were condemned to death by the army; Atalante, who was in the camp, was immediately executed, but Attalus escaped his wife's fate in consequence of his absence with the fleet at Pelusium
. He forthwith sailed to Tyre (Lebanon), where the treasures of Perdiccas had been deposited. These, which amounted to as much as eight hundred talent
s, were surrendered to him by Archelaus, who had been appointed governor of the town, and by means of these he soon found himself at the head of ten thousand foot and eight hundred horse. He remained at Tyre for some time, to collect the friends of Perdiccas who had escaped from the army; but then, instead of uniting his forces immediately with those of Alcetas
, the brother of Perdiccas, he sailed to the coast of Caria
, where he became involved in a contest with the Rhodians
, by whom he was completely defeated in a sea-fight. After this, he joined Alcetas; but their united forces were defeated in Pisidia
by Antigonus
, who had the conduct of the war against the party of Perdiccas. Alcetas escaped for a time, but Attalus with many others was taken prisoner. This happened in 320 BC
; and he and his companions remained in captivity till 317 BC
, when they contrived on one occasion to overpower their guards, and obtain possession of the castle in which they were confined. Before they could effect their escape, the castle was surrounded with troops from the neighbourhood. They continued, however, to defend it for a year and four months; but at length were obliged to yield to superior numbers. We do not hear of Attalus after this: his daughters were with Olympias
in 317 BC
.
Andromenes
Andromenes may refer to:*Andromenes, a Macedonian nobleman from Tymphaia, officer in Philip’s army and father of four sons; Amyntas, Attalus, Polemon and Simmias who all of them served in Alexander's campaign....
the Stymphaean, and one of Alexander's officers, was accused with his brothers, Amyntas
Amyntas of Macedonia
Amyntas was a Macedonian officer in Alexander the Great's army, son of Andromenes from Tymphaia. After the battle of the Granicus, 334 BC, when the garrison of Sardis was quietly surrendered to Alexander, Amyntas was the officer sent forward to receive it from the commander, Mithrenes...
and Simmias
Simmias of Macedon
For other persons with the same name, see SimmiasSimmias was a Macedonian officer, son of Andromenes from Tymphaia and brother of Attalus and Amyntas, the officers of Alexander the Great...
, of having been engaged in the conspiracy of Philotas
Philotas
Philotas was the eldest son of Parmenion, Alexander's most experienced and talented general. When Alexander became king of Macedonia with Parmenion's support Philotas (in Greek, Φιλώτας, died October 330 BC) was the eldest son of Parmenion, Alexander's most experienced and talented general. When...
, 330 BC
330 BC
Year 330 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Crassus and Venno...
, but was acquitted, together with his brothers. In 328 BC
328 BC
Year 328 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Proculus and Scapula or Decianus and Barbatus...
, Attalus was left with Polyperchon
Polyperchon
Polyperchon , son of Simmias from Tymphaia in Epirus, was a Macedonian general who served under Philip II and Alexander the Great, accompanying Alexander throughout his long journeys. After the return to Babylon, Polyperchon was sent back to Macedon with Craterus, but had only reached Cilicia by...
and other officers in Bactria
Bactria
Bactria and also appears in the Zend Avesta as Bukhdi. It is the ancient name of a historical region located between south of the Amu Darya and west of the Indus River...
with part of the troops, while the king himself marched against the Sogdians
Sogdiana
Sogdiana or Sogdia was the ancient civilization of an Iranian people and a province of the Achaemenid Empire, eighteenth in the list on the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great . Sogdiana is "listed" as the second of the "good lands and countries" that Ahura Mazda created...
. He accompanied Alexander in his expedition into India
History of India
The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...
, and was employed in several important duties. In Alexander's last illness, 323 BC
323 BC
Year 323 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Longus and Cerretanus...
, he was one of the seven chief officers who passed the night in the temple of Serapis
Enki
Enki is a god in Sumerian mythology, later known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian mythology. He was originally patron god of the city of Eridu, but later the influence of his cult spread throughout Mesopotamia and to the Canaanites, Hittites and Hurrians...
at Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
, in order to learn from the god whether Alexander should be carried into the temple.
After the death of Alexander, Attalus joined Perdiccas
Perdiccas
Perdiccas was one of Alexander the Great's generals. After Alexander's death in 323 BC he became regent of all Alexander's empire.Arrian tells us he was son of Orontes, a descendant of the independent princes of the Macedonian province of Orestis...
, whose sister, Atalante, he had married. He accompanied his brother-in-law in his unfortunate campaign against Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt began when Ptolemy I Soter invaded Egypt and declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt in 305 BC and ended with the death of queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and the Roman conquest in 30 BC. The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a powerful Hellenistic state, extending from southern Syria in the east, to...
in 321 BC
321 BC
Year 321 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Calvinus and Caudinus...
, and had the command of the fleet. After the murder of Perdiccas, all his friends were condemned to death by the army; Atalante, who was in the camp, was immediately executed, but Attalus escaped his wife's fate in consequence of his absence with the fleet at Pelusium
Pelusium
Pelusium was a city in the eastern extremes of Egypt's Nile Delta, 30 km to the southeast of the modern Port Said. Alternative names include Sena and Per-Amun , Pelousion , Sin , Seyân , and Tell el-Farama...
. He forthwith sailed to Tyre (Lebanon), where the treasures of Perdiccas had been deposited. These, which amounted to as much as eight hundred talent
Talent (weight)
The "talent" was one of several ancient units of mass, as well as corresponding units of value equivalent to these masses of a precious metal. It was approximately the mass of water required to fill an amphora. A Greek, or Attic talent, was , a Roman talent was , an Egyptian talent was , and a...
s, were surrendered to him by Archelaus, who had been appointed governor of the town, and by means of these he soon found himself at the head of ten thousand foot and eight hundred horse. He remained at Tyre for some time, to collect the friends of Perdiccas who had escaped from the army; but then, instead of uniting his forces immediately with those of Alcetas
Alcetas
Alcetas , the brother of Perdiccas and son of Orontes from Orestis, is first mentioned as one of Alexander the Great's generals in his Indian expedition...
, the brother of Perdiccas, he sailed to the coast of Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
, where he became involved in a contest with the Rhodians
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, by whom he was completely defeated in a sea-fight. After this, he joined Alcetas; but their united forces were defeated in Pisidia
Pisidia
Pisidia was a region of ancient Asia Minor located north of Lycia, and bordering Caria, Lydia, Phrygia and Pamphylia. It corresponds roughly to the modern-day province of Antalya in Turkey...
by Antigonus
Antigonus I Monophthalmus
Antigonus I Monophthalmus , son of Philip from Elimeia, was a Macedonian nobleman, general, and satrap under Alexander the Great. During his early life he served under Philip II, and he was a major figure in the Wars of the Diadochi after Alexander's death, declaring himself king in 306 BC and...
, who had the conduct of the war against the party of Perdiccas. Alcetas escaped for a time, but Attalus with many others was taken prisoner. This happened in 320 BC
320 BC
Year 320 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cursor and Philo...
; and he and his companions remained in captivity till 317 BC
317 BC
Year 317 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Brutus and Barbula...
, when they contrived on one occasion to overpower their guards, and obtain possession of the castle in which they were confined. Before they could effect their escape, the castle was surrounded with troops from the neighbourhood. They continued, however, to defend it for a year and four months; but at length were obliged to yield to superior numbers. We do not hear of Attalus after this: his daughters were with Olympias
Olympias
Olympias was a Greek princess of Epirus, daughter of king Neoptolemus I of Epirus, the fourth wife of the king of Macedonia, Philip II, and mother of Alexander the Great...
in 317 BC
317 BC
Year 317 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Brutus and Barbula...
.