Attalus

Who was Attalus?

Attalus, important courtier of Macedonian king Philip II of Macedonia.

In 339 BC, Attalus' niece Cleopatra Eurydice 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, Cleopatra Eurydice, her two children, and Attalus were all killed.

According to a story of Aristotle's, lengthened by Cleitarchus and Diodorus Siculus, Attalus sexually assaulted Pausanias of Orestis in retribution for besmirching the reputation of Attalus's friend, 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 Pausanias was upset that Phillip had not punished Attalus.

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.