EUMENES, the name of two rulers of Pergamum.
I. EUMENES I. succeeded his uncle Philetaerus in 263 B.C. The only important event in his reign was his victory near Sardis over Antiochus Soter, which enabled him to secure possession of the districts round his capital. (See PERGAMUM.) 2. EUMENES II., son of Attalus I., was king of Pergamum 197-159 B.C. During the greater part of his reign he was a loyal ally of the Romans. He materially contributed to the defeat of Antiochus of Syria at the battle of Magnesia (19o), and as a reward for his services the Thracian Chersonese and all Anti ochus's possessions as far as the Taurus were bestowed upon him. Although he supported the Romans in the war against Macedonia, he displayed so little energy and interest that he was suspected of intriguing with the enemy. Nothing, however, came of these negotiations, whatever may have been their real object; and Eumenes, in order to avert suspicion, sent his congratulations to Rome by his brother Attalus after the defeat of Perseus (168) . Attalus was received courteously but coldly; and Eumenes in alarm set out to visit Rome in person, but on his arrival at Brundusium was ordered to leave Italy at once. He never regained the good graces of the Romans, who showed especial favour to Attalus on his second visit to Rome, probably with the object of setting him against Eumenes ; but the ties of kinship proved too strong. The last years of his reign were disturbed by renewed hostilities against Prusias of Bithynia and the Celts of Galatia, and probably only his death prevented a war with Rome. Eumenes, although physically weak, was a shrewd and vigorous ruler and politician, who raised his little state from insignificance to a powerful monarchy. During his reign Pergamum became a flour ishing city, where men of learning were always welcome, among them Crates of Mallus, the founder of the Pergamene school of criticism. The greatest monument of his liberality was the founda tion of the library, which was second only to that of Alexandria. See Livy xxxix. 51, xlii. I I—r 6 ; Polybius xxi.—xxxii. ; Appian, Syriaca; Livy, Epit. 46; Cornelius Nepos, Hannibal, Io.