ATTALUS, King of Pergamus. There were many Kings of this name in Pergamus. He who is mentioned in the first Book of 1 Macc. XV. 22.Maccabees, and to whom the Romans wrote in favour of the Jews, is Attalus, firnamed Philadelphus, who governed the Kingdom in the room of his Nephew Attalus III. Philometor, Son of Eumenes King of Pergamus. This last Attalus was he who left the People of Rome heirs to all his riches1; which, as they pretended, was to be understood as including his Kingdom too2. The arrival of the Jewish Ambassadors at Rome, to renew their alliance, in consequence whereof the Roman Senate wrote to Attalus, is fixed to the year of the World 3865. and Attalus Philadelphus began to govern in 3845. He governed for one and twenty years, and in 3866. put the Kingdom into the hands of his Nephew Philometor, to whom of right it belonged. Attalus Philometor died without Children, in the year of the World 3871. before J.C. 129. before the vulgar Æra 133.
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Footnotes
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Livius l. lix. ↩
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Translators’ note. Videas etiam Epistolam Mithridatis Regis Ponti ad Arsacen, Regem Parthiæ inter fragmenta Sallustii, l. 4. in quâ epistolâ vocat hoc testamentum simulatum & impium testamentum. Aristonicus the next Heir, Son of Eumenes, and Brother of Attalus by another Mother, claim’d the Crown of Pergamus as his inheritance, took possession of it, defeated Licinius Crassus the Consul, cut off him and his Army, and was not reduced till after four years continuance of this war. See Prid. Connect. &c. Part II. Book V. ↩