Attalus of Rhodes (Ἄτταλος ὁ Ῥόδιος) was a Greek astronomer and mathematician active in the mid-2nd century BCE. He is known for his commentary on the astronomical poem Phaenomena by Aratus of Soli. His life details are unrecorded, but his work is discussed in relation to the later astronomer Hipparchus of Nicaea [1][2].

His only known work is a **Commentary on Aratus's *Phaenomena***, which survives only in fragments. These are preserved primarily through references and criticisms in the extant commentary on Aratus written by Hipparchus [1][2].

Attalus is significant for his early scholarly engagement with Aratus's popularization of Eudoxan astronomy. His commentary represents a Hellenistic effort to interpret these models, and his interpretations were later scrutinized by Hipparchus. Hipparchus's critiques provide the main evidence for Attalus's astronomical views, placing him within the period's technical scientific discourse [1][2].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aratus 2. Perseus Digital Library, Hipparchus, Commentary on Aratus and Eudoxus: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0230