Galatian War

Galatian War
A map showing the location of Galatia.
Date 189 BC Location Galatia, Asia Minor (present-day Turkey) Result Roman Allied victory
Belligerents
Galatians Tolistobogii Tectosagi Trocmi	Roman Republic Pergamum
Commanders and leaders
Eposognatus Orgiagon Chiomara Komboiomaros Gaulotos	Gnaeus Manlius Vulso Attalus II
Strength
Over 50,000 men (overstated)	30 - 35,000 Roman and allied forces 2,800 Pergamese troops
Casualties and losses
40,000 dead or captured at Mount Olympus (overstated) 8000 dead at Ancyra Tolistobogii and Tectosagi massacred[1]	Unknown

The Galatian War was a war between the Galatian Gauls and the Roman Republic supported by their allies Pergamum in 189 BC. The war was fought in Galatia in central Asia Minor, in present-day Turkey.

The Romans had just defeated the Seleucids in the Roman–Seleucid War and were in the midst of concluding a treaty with the latter. The Romans had then turned their attention towards the Gallic tribes of Galatia who had migrated to Asia Minor almost 100 years prior to this military engagement. Ancient historians noted that Gnaeus Manlius Vulso, the consul, had justified the invasion by saying that it was in retaliation for the Galatians supplying troops to the Seleucids during the war; and that Vulso had embarked on this campaign without the permission of the Roman Senate. However, modern historians argue that the war had either the covert or tacit approval of the Senate.

Joined by troops from Pergamum, the Romans marched inland, avoiding cities held by the Seleucids and attacking those which had not formally allied with the latter. Modern historians argue that this measure was taken to preserve the Roman–Seleucid truce while also weakening potential Seleucid allies. The Roman army then marched south, possibly to receive supplies from Roman ships at the port of Attalia (modern day Antalya). They then marched northward and unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate with the Galatians. The Romans defeated the Galatians in a battle on Mount Olympus and followed up the victory by defeating a larger army near Ancyra (modern day Ankara in Turkey).

These defeats forced the Galatians to sue for peace and the Romans returned to the coast of Asia Minor, where Vulso concluded the Treaty of Apamea with the Seleucids. The territories which the Roman army had marched through during this campaign were transferred from the Seleucids to either Rome or its allies, which modern historians argue was one of the purposes of the campaign. When Vulso returned to Rome, he was charged with threatening the peace between the Seleucids and Rome. He was cleared and was granted a triumph by the Senate. As a result of the campaign, Greco-Asian religious rituals and luxury began to be introduced to Rome, which ancient historians blamed for the moral decline of the Roman Republic.