The city was ruled in turn by the Lydians, the Persians, and the Attalid kings of Pergamum, until 133 b.c. , when Attalus III bequeathed his kingdom, and Ephesus with it, to the Romans.
In 133 B.C., the kingdom was given over to Roman control by Attalus III.
Attalus III died fighting the Romans, and it took a bloody battle for the Romans to seize control of the kingdom.