Attalus (in Greek Άτταλος, c. 390 BC - 336 BC), important courtier of Macedonian king Philip II of Macedonia. Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 440s BC 430s BC 420s BC 410s BC 400s BC - 390s BC - 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 395 BC 394 BC 393 BC 392 BC 391 BC - 390 BC - 389 BC 388 BC 387... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 341 BC 340 BC 339 BC 338 BC 337 BC - 336 BC - 335 BC 334 BC 333... Philip II of Macedon (Macedonia) (382 BC - 336 BC), King of Macedon (ruled 359 BC - 336 BC), was the father of Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon) and Philip III of Macedon. ...

In 337 BC, Attalus' niece Cleopatra married king Philip II of Macedonia. In spring of 336 BC, Philip II appointed Attalus and Parmenion as commanders of the advance force that would invade the Persian Empire in Asia Minor. After Philip II had been assassinated and Alexander the Great had become king (October 336 BC), Attalus was murdered. Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC - 370s BC - 360s BC - 350s BC - 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC - 310s BC - 300s BC - 290s BC - 280s BC Years: 342 BC - 341 BC - 340 BC - 339 BC - 338 BC - 337 BC - 336 BC - 335 BC... Eurydice (Ευρυδικη), née Cleopatra (Κλεοπάτρα). Mid. ... Parmenion (also Parmenio) (c. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau. ... Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey. ... Alexander the Great (in Greek , transliterated Megas Alexandros) (July 356 BC – June 11, 323 BC), King of Macedon (336–323 BC), is considered one of the most successful military commanders in world history, conquering most of the world known to the ancient Greeks before his death. ...

According to a story of Aristotle's - which was lengthened by Cleitarchus and Diodorus Siculus, Attalus sexually assaulted Pausanias of Orestis in retribution for besmirching the reputation of Attalus's friend (possibly relation), also named Pausanias, an event that led to the latter Pausanias's death. Philip II of Macedon's later assassination by Pausanias of Orestis has been tied to this affair as he did not honor the surviving Pausanias by punishing Attalus. Aristotle (Ancient Greek: Aristotélēs 384 – March 7, 322 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. ... Cleitarchus, one of the historians of Alexander the Great, son of Demon, also an historian, was possibly a native of Egypt, or at least spent a considerable time at the court of Ptolemy Lagus. ... Diodorus Siculus (ca. ... Pausanias was the servant/lover who assassinated Philip II of Macedon in 336 BC, possibly at the instigation of Olympias and Alexander the Great. ... Philipp II - King of Macedonia Philip II of Macedon (382 BC–336 BC; in Greek Φίλιππος, transliterated Philippos) was the King of Macedonia from 359 BC until his death. ... Pausanias was the servant/lover who assassinated Philip II of Macedon in 336 BC, possibly at the instigation of Olympias and Alexander the Great. ... Pausanias was the servant/lover who assassinated Philip II of Macedon in 336 BC, possibly at the instigation of Olympias and Alexander the Great. ...

Attalus had earned the hatred of Alexander earlier at the wedding of Cleopatra and King Phillip II of Macedon. It was customary at Macedonian weddings for the celebrants to become extremely drunk. After a night of intoxication, Attalus declared that a toast should be proposed for the new marriage. He claimed that now the Macedonians would have a purely Macedonian heir, as Cleopatra was of pure lineage.

This was an obvious insult to Alexander, whose mother, Olympias, came from Epirus, thus making Alexander only half Macedonian. In reply to the insult Alexander stood up and threw his goblet at Attalus, exclaiming, "Are you calling me a bastard?" Olympias (Greek: Ολυμπιάς) (c. ... Epirus (Greek Ήπειρος, Ípiros) is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. ...

Attalus then threw his own cup at the prince. Then Phillip lurched forward, drawing his sword. He tottered a few drunken steps on his lame leg, then fell. Alexander looked down with utter contempt at his father, sprawled on the floor.

"That, gentlemen, is the man who has been preparing to cross from Europe into Asia," the prince sneered, in reference to Phillip's planned Asian invasion, "and he cannot even make it from one couch to the next!" With that, he stormed out into the night, collected his mother, and left the kingdom.

At the time of the accession of Alexander the Great to the Macedonian throne, Attalus was stationed with Parmenion and the Macedonian advance army in Asia Minor. In the wake of Phillip II's death, it is alleged by hostile sources that Demosthenes of Athens wrote a letter to Attalus promising Athens' support if the two made war on Alexander. Parmenion (also Parmenio) (c. ... Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey. ... Bust of the Greek orator Demosthenes, Louvre museum, Paris, France. ... Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína (IPA: )) is the capital of Greece and one of the most famous cities in the world, named after goddess Athena. ...

Attalus submitted Demosthenes' letters to Alexander and pledged his support to the king. However, Alexander had Attalus killed, remembering the past insult of Attalus. Even without the resentment between the two men, Alexander probably felt Attalus was too ambitious to remain alive, and had two good reasons for revenge after the assassination of Cleopatra's son.

External links

• Livius, Attalus by Jona Lendering