How did the kingdom of Pergamum become part of the Roman Republic?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Anatolia Abandoned cave dwellings in Cappadocia, Anatolia, Turkey.

The kingdom of Pergamum became part of the Roman Republic through a formal bequest by its final ruler, Attalus III.

When Attalus III died in 133 BCE without an heir, he left his entire kingdom to Rome in his will. Although his specific motivations for this decision remain obscure, Rome accepted the inheritance and subsequently organized the territory into the Roman province of Asia in 129 BCE. This province encompassed the territory of Pergamum and Ionia, while other surrounding regions were left to neighboring client kings. This event effectively ended the history of Pergamum as an independent political entity.123