Maximum extent of the Lydian empire, ca. 500 BC.
Lydia was situated in the western part of Asia Minor on the river Galis. Its primary city Sardis was mentioned by Homer in the 8th Century. Its land consisted of fertile fields and rich deposits of gold and silver. In the 6th Century BC Lydian Conquests transformed the country into an Empire.
The boundaries of Lydia changed through the centuries. It was first bordered by Mysia, Caria, Phrygia and Ionia. Later on, the military power of Alyattes and Croesus expanded Lydia into an empire, with its capital at Sardis. Lydia at that time, controlled all Asia Minor west of the River Halys, except Lycia. Lydia never again shrank back into its original dimensions. After the Persian conquest the Maeander was regarded as its southern boundary, and under Rome, Lydia comprised the country between Mysia and Caria on the one side and Phrygia and the Aegean on the other.
To be as rich as Croesus, was to be very rich indeed. The legend of King Croesus who reigned from 560 to 546 BC over Lydia in western Asia Minor. Gold from the mines and sands of the River Pactolus filled his coffers to overflowing. The Lydians in the time of Croesus, it is believed, were the first people mint gold, silver and electrum into coins, and to establish retail shops which were permanent according to Herodotus.
The fame of the court of Croesus at Sardis attracted many visitors. One of these, was Solon, the lawgiver of the Greeks. The king displayed his treasures and asked Solon who was the happiest man that he had met. Solon named two or three unkown men who had lived and died happily. Croesus was angered and said: “Man of Athens, dost thou count my happiness as nothing?” “In truth,” replied Solon, “I count no man happy until his death, for no man can know what the gods may have in store for him.”
Croesus was due to fall because of his pride. Cyrus the Great of Persia, who was conquering much of Asia minor, was soon threatening the kingdom of Lydia. Croesus consulted the oracle of Delphi in Greece. The oracle replied: “If Croesus goes to war he will destroy a great empire.” So Croesus went out to meet the army of Cyrus and was utterly defeated, he destroyed his own great empire.
The story goes on to tell that Cyrus was going to have Croesus to be burned alive. When the fires were lit Croesus saw the flames creeping upward to consume him, he began to cry out “O Solon! Solon! Solon!” Cyrus moved by the story of how Solon had warned the proud king that he ordered Croesus to be released. Cyrus asked Croesus why he shouted Solon’s name, and Croesus asked him another question “what are your soldiers are doing now?” as they watched the Persian soldiers sacking the city; Cyrus replied “They are plundering your city”; Croesus said “They are not plundering my city, it’s your city now and your soldiers are destroying your city”. After that short conversation Cyrus the Great stopped his soldiers.
Lydia remained a vassal after Persia’s conquest by the Macedonian king Alexander the Great. After his death it fell to the major Asian diadoch dynasty, the Seleucids, until they became unable to hold onto their territory in Asia Minor. Its last king avoided the spoils and ravage of a Roman conquest war by leaving the realm.
When the Romans entered its capital Sardis in 133 BC, Lydia, as the other western parts of the Attalid legacy, became part of Asia Minor, a very rich Roman province, worthy to keep a governor of the high rank of proconsul.
Croesus
To be as rich as Croesus, was to be very rich indeed. A mixture of legend and history describes the reign of King Croesus from 560 to 546 BC over Lydia in western Asia Minor. Gold from the mines and sands of the River Pactolus filled his coffers to overflowing. The Lydians in the time of Croesus, it is believed, were the first people mint gold, silver and electrum into coins, and to establish retail shops which were permanent according to Herodotus.
The fame of the court of Croesus at Sardis attracted many visitors. One of these, was Solon, the lawgiver of the Greeks. The king displayed his treasures and asked Solon who was the happiest man that he had met. Solon named two or three unknown men who had lived and died happily. Croesus was angered and said: “Man of Athens, dost thou count my happiness as nothing?” “In truth,” replied Solon, “I count no man happy until his death, for no man can know what the gods may have in store for him.”
Croesus was due to fall because of his pride. Croesus allied himself with Amasis II of Egypt against Cyrus the Great of Persia in 547 BC. Before starting his campaign he turned to the Oracle of Delphi to ask about the fate of his campaign. With typical Delphic ambiguity they Pythia replied: “If Croesus crossed the Halys, a great empire shall be brought down.” Croesus, now feeling secure, launched his campaign into the Persian Empire. He was intercepted near the river Halys in central Anatolia and an undecided battle was fought. As was usual in those days, the armies would disband for winter and Croesus did accordingly. Unfortunately for him Cyrus didn’t and he attacked Croesus in Sardis and captured him. It became painfully clear that the powerful empire Croesus was about to destroy was his own.
Kolchis fell quickly to the Persian attackers. The story goes on to tell that Cyrus was going to have Croesus to be burned alive. When the fires were lit Croesus saw the flames creeping upward to consume him, he began to cry out “O Solon! Solon! Solon!” Cyrus moved by the story of how Solon had warned the proud king that he ordered Croesus to be released. Cyrus asked Croesus why he shouted Solon’s name, and Croesus asked him another question “what are your soldiers are doing now?” as they watched the Persian soldiers sacking the city; Cyrus replied “They are plundering your city”; Croesus said “They are not plundering my city, it’s your city now and your soldiers are destroying your city”. After that short conversation Cyrus the Great stopped his soldiers.
Cyrus was impressed by Croesus. His wisdom and cunning words had saved his city. He kept Croesus with his court, and he eventually became one of his most trusted advisors.sus one of his advisors.
