Galatian War The Galatian War was a war between the Galatia n 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 - Syrian War and had forced them to thereby sue for peace . Following their recently successful operation in Syria , the Romans then turned their attention towards the Gallic tribes of Galatia who had emigrated to Asia Minor almost 100 years prior to the ensuing military engagement . Gnaeus Manlius Vulso , the consul , excused the invasion by saying that it was in retaliation for the Galatians supplying troops to the Seleucids during the war . Vulso embarked on this campaign without the permission of the Roman Senate . Joined by Pergamum , the Romans marched inland and attacked the Galatians . They defeated the Galatians in a battle on Mount Olympus and followed up the victory by defeating a larger army near Ankara . These defeats forced the Galatians to sue for peace and the Romans returned to the coast of Asia Minor . However , when Manlius 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 . Prelude . In 191 BC , Antiochus the Great , the Emperor of the Seleucid Empire of Asia invaded Greece . The Romans decided to intervene and they defeated the Seleucids at the Battle of Thermopylae . The defeat to Rome forced the Seleucids to retreat back to Asia Minor . The Romans followed them across the Aegean Sea and together with their allies , Pergamum , they decisively defeated the Seleucids at the Battle of Magnesia . The Seleucids sued for peace and began settling it with Scipio Asiaticus . In spring , the new consul , Gnaeus Manlius Vulso arrived to take control of the army from Scipio Asiaticus . He was sent to conclude the treaty that Scipio was arranging . However , he was not content with the task given to him and he started to plan a new war . He addressed the soldiers and congratulated them on their victory and then proposed a new war , against the Galatia n Gauls of Asia Minor . The pretext he used for the invasion was that the Galatians had supplied soldiers to the Seleucid army at the Battle of Magnesia . The principal reason for the invasion was Manlius ' desire to seize the wealth of the Galatians who had become rich from plundering their neighbours and to gain glory for himself . This war was the first occasion that a Roman general had started a war without the permission of the senate or the people . This was a dangerous precedent and this became an example for the future . Manlius started his war preparation by summoning the Pergamese to help . However , the King of Pergamum , Eumenes II was in Rome so his brother , Attalus who was the regent took command of the Pergamese army . He joined the Roman army a few days later with 1 , 000 infantry and 500 cavalry . March inland . The combined Roman - Pergamese army started their march from Ephesus . They advanced inland passing Magnesia on the Maeander and into the territory of Alabanda where they were met by 1 , 000 infantry and 300 cavalry led by Attalus ' brother . They then marched to Antiochia where they were met by Antiochus ' son , Seleucus who offered corn as part of the treaty that was being concluded . As they marched inland through the upper Maeander valley and Pamphylia gathering levies from local princes and tyrants without much opposition . However , they advanced into the territory of Cibrya , ruled by the tyrant Moagetes , known for his cruelty . When the Roman envoys reached the city , the tyrant begged them not to ravage the territory because he was a Roman ally and promised to give them fifteen talents . The envoys asked Moagetes to send envoys to Vulso ' s camp . Vulso met them as they approached the camp and addressed them as Polybius writes : " Not only had Moagĕtes shown himself the most determined enemy of Rome , of all the princes in Asia , but had done his very best to overthrow their empire , and deserved punishment rather than friendship . " The envoys were terrified by his angry response and asked the consul to meet the tyrant for an interview to which Vulso agreed . The next day the tyrant emerged from the city and pleaded with Vulso to accept the fifteen talents . Vulso replied : " If he did not pay five hundred talents , and be thankful that he was allowed to do so , he would not loot the country , but he would storm and sack the city . " The tyrant however , was able to persuade Vulso to reduce the price to 100 talents and promised to provide him with 1 , 000 medimni of wheat . Thus Moagĕtes managed to save his city . When the consul crossed the River Colobatus he was met by ambassadors from the town of Sinda in Pisidia . The ambassadors asked for assistance against the city of Termessus who had taken over all their country except for the capitol . The consul agreed to the offer . He entered Termessian territory , allowing them to enter his alliance for fifty talents and for their withdrawal from Sindian territory . Vulso proceeded to seize the city of Cyrmasa in Pisidia and with it a large booty . He then took the city of Lysinoe before accepting a tribute of fifty talents and 20 , 000 medimni of barley and wheat from the city of Sagalassus . The consul reached the Rhotrine Springs and he was once again met by Seleucus . Seleucus took the injured and sick Romans with him to Apamea as well as supplying the Romans some guides . They marched for three days after departing from the springs and on the third day they arrived on the border with the Tolistobogii , one the three Galatian tribes . The consul held an assembly and addressed his troops about the upcoming war . He then sent envoys to Eposognatus , chieftain of the Tectosagi , the only chieftain who was friendly with Pergamum . The envoys returned and replied that the chieftain of the Tectosagi begged the Romans not to invade his territory . He also claimed that he would attempt to force the submission of the other chieftains . The army marched deeper inland and pitched camp near a Galatian stronghold called Cuballum . While they were there , the Galatian cavalry attacked the army ' s advance guard and caused significant casualties before the Roman cavalry counter - attacked and drove back the Galatians with heavy losses . The consul knowing that he was in reach of the enemy decided to move forward more cautiously . Battle of Mount Olympus . The Romans and the Pergamese arrived at the city of Gordium and found it deserted . As they camped there they were met by a messenger sent by Eposognatus . The messenger reported that Eposognatus had not been successful in persuading the Galatians not to attack and that they were mustering nearby in the mountains . The Tolostobogii occupied Mount Olympus , while the Tectosagi and the Trocmi went to another mountain . On Mount Olympus , the Galatians had fortified themselves with a ditch and other defensive works . For the first two days , the Romans scout ed the mountains . On the third day , the Romans attacked the Galatian position with their skirmishers . At first the battle was evenly matched but when the fighting came to close range , the superior Roman weapons and armour won them the battle . The battle turned to a massacre for the Galatians when the Romans stormed their camp . The Galatians lost some 10 , 000 men and had around 40 , 000 captured during the aftermath . Battle of Ancyra . After the Roman victory at Mount Olympus , the Tectosagi begged them not to attack them and asked to meet him for a conference half way between their camp and Ancyra . The main aim of the conference was for the Tectosagi to delay the Roman attack so that they could allow the women and children to retreat across the Halys River . Their other aim was to assassinate Manlius while he was at the conference . While they were going to the conference the Romans saw the Galatian cavalry charging at them . In the skirmish that followed the Galatians overpowered Manlius ' bodyguard due to their numbers but were driven back when the escort that had been accompanying the Roman foragers arrived and forced the Galatians to retreat . The Romans spent the next two days scouting the surrounding area and on the third day they met the Galatia n army consisting of 50 , 000 men . The Romans started the battle by attacking with their skirmisher s . The Galatian centre shattered at the first attack and fled in the direction of the camp . The flanks stood their grounds for longer but where eventually forced to retreat . The Romans chased them , plundered the Galatian camp as the surviving Galatians fled across the river to join the women , children and the Trocmi . Aftermath . These two crushing military defeats forced the Galatians to sue for peace . This campaign greatly enrichened Vulso and his legions as the Galatians had gathered great wealth through their many conquests in Asia Minor . The Galatians sent envoys to Vulso asking for peace but Vulso who at the time was hurrying back to Ephesus because winter was approaching bade them to come to Ephesus . Vulso remained in Asia Minor for another year . During that time he concluded the Treaty of Apamea with Antiochus and divided the lands of the Asia Minor coast between Pergamum and Rhodes . When the Galatian envoys came , Vulso told them that King Eumenes II of Pergamum would give them the terms of the peace when he arrived back from Rome . Vulso began his return journey to Rome in 188 BC and arrived in 187 BC . When he returned to Rome , he received much of criticism because of his unauthorised war against the Galatians . However , he eventually overcame the arguments and was awarded a triumph by the senate . References . On - line sources . < div class = " references - small " >