ALEXANDER'S GENERALS : ATTALOS

Attalos was one of the leading phalanx battalion commanders in Alexander the Great’s army, gaining fame for his actions in Bactria and India.

Following Alexander’s death, Attalos initially sided with Meleager against the leading generals in the power struggle that ensued in Babylon. Not long after, however, as the tide began to turn against the infantry, Perdiccas successfully bribed Attalos to defect and join the generals by marrying the veteran warlord to Atlante, his sister.

It proved a wise move. From then on, Attalos proved a loyal subordinate to Perdiccas during the initial years of the Wars of the Successors.

When Perdiccas led the royal army down to Egypt in 320 BCE to confront Ptolemy, the regent gave Attalus command of the accompanying fleet. Attalos survived the disaster that ensued for Perdiccas and his supporters, though he later received word that Perdiccas’ mutinous army had murdered his wife in cold blood and sentenced him to death. Nevertheless, he managed to escape with the fleet and regrouped with the remaining Perdiccans first at the island fortress of Tyre, and then later in Pisidia.

Attalos fought in a battle against Antigonus ‘the one-eyed’ in 319 BCE. He was taken as a prisoner of war, up until 317 BCE,when he and some of his comrades tried to escape,by seizing control of the castle where they were imprisoned. However,before they could leave,the castle was surrounded by troops. The last thing we know about Attalus is that he and his companions defended the castle for 16 months,and then they had to surrender. After that, he disappears from our sources.

Screenshot by © Malay Archer

SOURCE: FACEBOOK PAGE 'Turning Points of the Ancient World'