Croesus | king of Lydia | Britannica.com king of Lydia Last Updated: 12-16-2009 Croesus, (died c. 546 bc), last king of Lydia (reigned c. 560–546), who was renowned for his great wealth. He conquered the Greeks of mainland Ionia (on the west coast of Anatolia) and was in turn subjugated by the Persians. Croesus with an attendant. Photos.com/Jupiterimages A member of the Mermnad dynasty , Croesus succeeded to the throne of his father, Alyattes, after a struggle with his half brother. Croesus is said to have acted as viceroy and commander in chief before his father’s death. He completed the conquest of mainland Ionia by capturing Ephesus and other cities in western Anatolia . Lack of sea power forced him ... (100 of 348 words) MEDIA FOR: Croesus - Ancient History Encyclopedia Croesus by Joshua J.

Mark published on 02 September 2009 Croesus (pronounced 'KREE-sus') was the King of Lydia , a country in western Asia Minor (corresponding to modern-day Turkey ) from 560-547 BCE and was so wealthy that the old expression "as rich as Croesus" originates in reference to him. His wealth, it is said, came from the sands of the River Pactolus in which the legendary King Midas washed his hands to rid himself of the 'Midas Touch' (which turned everything he laid hands on into gold ) and in so doing, the legend says, made the sands of the river rich with gold. The Lydians, either during the reign of Croesus or just before, were cited as the first people to mint coins of gold and silver in Asia Minor and it was Croesus who funded construction of the great Temple of Artemis at Ephesus , one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

Although some have claimed that Croesus was largely a legendary figure, his signature at the base of one of the columns of the Temple of Artemis (now on display at the British Museum) is evidence that he was an actual historical king who ruled from the city of Sardis . It was Croesus who funded construction of the great Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders . Although Croesus is mentioned by Xenophon and Ctesias, among others, two of the most famous stories regarding him come from the Histories of Herodotus (1.29-45 and 1.85-89). The first has to do with the great Athenian lawgiver Solon the Wise. Solon travelled throughout Anatolia and down to Egypt and came, at last, to the palace of Croesus at Sardis. Croesus was overjoyed to have so illustrious a visitor and was anxious to show off his treasuries and, after Solon had inspected them, asked him who, of all the men he had met in his travels, he would call the most happy.

Solon answered, “Tellus of Athens .” Croesus, upset that he himself had not been named, asked why Tellus. Solon answered that Tellus had lived well and happily, had a beautiful family, and had died gloriously for Athens in battle . Croesus, conceding this was a good life, and hoping he would at least be named second, then asked Solon who else he would consider the happiest of men he had met; Solon answered: Remove Ads Advertisement The brothers Cleobis and Bito of the Argive race” and explained why, noting again a life well lived and a good death. Croesus, angered now, shouted: "Man of Athens, am I not the happiest man in the world? Dost thou count my happiness as nothing?" Solon replied calmly: “In truth, I count no man happy until his death, for no man can know what the gods may have in store for him.

He who unites the greatest number of advantages, and retaining them to the day of his death, then dies peaceably, that man alone, sire, is in my judgment entitled to bear the name of 'happy.' But in every matter it behooves us to mark well the end: for oftentimes God gives men a gleam of happiness, and then plunges them into ruin. Croesus sent Solon away, thinking his reputation for wisdom overrated, but would soon learn the truth of what Solon had said through the events narrated by Herodotus' second story. The first misfortune to come upon Croesus was the death of his son Atys, killed while hunting a boar in Olympus (and, ironically, killed by the man whom Croesus had sent on the hunt for the express purpose of keeping Atys safe). Croesus grieved for his son for two years until he was alerted that the Persians under Cyrus were gaining power and decided he should check them sooner rather than later.

He sent to the great Oracle at Delphi to know whether he should go to war against the Persian Empire and the oracle replied: "If Croesus goes to war he will destroy a great empire." Pleased by this answer, Croesus made his necessary alliances and preparations and went out to meet the Persian army at the Halys River (which Thales of Miletus , an engineer in his corps, helped him to cross by diverting the waters). The battle at the Halys was a draw and Croesus marched his force back to Sardis where the army was disbanded for the winter. Croesus expected Cyrus to do the same, as this was customary, but Cyrus instead pressed the attack, massacred Croesus’ cavalry in the field by mounting his own cavalry on dromedaries (whose scent frightened the Lydian horses) and captured Croesus. After the fall of Sardis, Croesus’ wife committed suicide and Croesus was dragged before Cyrus in chains. For daring to raise an army against the Persian Empire, Cyrus ordered Croesus to be burned alive along with fourteen noble Lydian youths.

When Croesus saw the flames of the pyre lapping toward him, he called out for aid from Apollo to rescue him and a sudden rain shower broke overhead and put out the fire. Croesus was saved from burning to death but was still the captive of the Persian King and, remembering the words of Solon the Wise, cried out, "O Solon! Solon! Solon!" Cyrus asked a translator what this word meant and Croesus told the story of Solon’s visit, how no man can be counted happy until after his death, and further, of how he was misled by the Oracle at Delphi who had told him that if he went to war against Cyrus he would 'destroy a great empire’ and here the 'great empire’ destroyed had been his own, not that of Cyrus. Cyrus was so moved by this story that he ordered Croesus to be released and had him send to Delphi for an answer from the god as to why he was betrayed. The answer came back that the Oracle had spoken only truth - a great empire had, in fact, been destroyed by Croesus – and it was not the fault of the god if man misinterpreted his words.

Cyrus felt sorry for Croesus and, according to some sources, kept him on as a wise counsellor. This positive account of Croesus' end has been disputed by many scholars both ancient and modern. According to other accounts, the god Apollo carried Croesus and his family away after the fall of Sardis and they all lived happily ever after. Most modern-day scholars and historians believe that Croesus died on the pyre but that the ancients of the 4th century BCE did not care for that ending to the life of so wealthy and powerful a king. The story of Croesus served as a cautionary tale among the Greeks on hubris and a warning on not tempting the gods’ wrath by thinking of oneself as the happiest person in the world. Croesus of Lydia - 10 Points to Know Croesus of Lydia Why You Should Know About King Croesus of Lydia 10 Points to Know About Croesus Croesus. Clipart.com Share By N.S. Gill You should know the name of Croesus not only for what he did but because Croesus was connected with many other famous figures, including Aesop , Solon , Midas , Thales , and Cyrus .

King Croesus encouraged trade and mining, and his resultant wealth was legendary -- as was much of his life. Below are 10 points to be familiar with about Croesus. Have you read Aesop 's fables about the clever and not-so smart animals? Croesus gave that Aesop an appointment in his court. Croesus was so wealthy, his name became synonymous with wealth. Thus, Croesus is the subject of the simile "rich as Croesus". One might say "Bill Gates is as rich as Croesus." Solon of Athens was a very wise man who made laws for Athens , for which reason he is called Solon the law-giver. It was in conversation with Croesus, who had all the wealth he could want and was, seemingly, perfectly happy, that Solon said, "count no man happy until his death." Croesus is said to have derived his wealth from King Midas ' (the man with the golden touch) gold deposits in the river Pactolus. According to Herodotus, Croesus was the first foreigner to come in contact with the Greeks. Croesus conquered and received tribute from the Ionian Greeks .

Croesus tragically misinterpreted the oracle that told him that if he crossed a certain river he would destroy a kingdom. He didn't realize the kingdom that would be destroyed would be his own. King Croesus - All About Turkey King Croesus Lydia The expression "as rich as Croesus" comes from the legendary wealth of the king who reigned from 560 to 546 BC over Lydia in western Asia Minor . Gold from the mines and from the sands of the River Pactolus filled his coffers to overflowing. The Lydians in the time of Croesus, it is believed, were the first people to mint coins as money. The fame of the splendid court of Croesus at Sardis attracted many visitors. One of these, according to a legend, was Solon, the lawgiver of the Greeks. The king proudly displayed his treasures and asked Solon who was the happiest man that he had met. Solon named two or three obscure men who had lived and died happily.

Croesus was surprised and angry 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." There was indeed great misfortune in store for Croesus. Cyrus the Great of Persia , extending his vast domains, 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 old story goes on to relate that Cyrus ordered Croesus to be burned alive. When Croesus saw the flames creeping upward to consume him, he remembered the words of the wise Solon and cried out, "O Solon! Solon! Solon!" Supposedly Cyrus was so moved by the story of how Solon had warned the proud king that he ordered Croesus to be released.

Cyrus asked to Croesus why he shouted Solon's name, and Croesus asked him another question "what your soldiers are doing now?", showing the Persian soldiers taking all the treasures and destroying everything; Cyrus replied "They are plundering your city"; then 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. Today Sardis (known as Sart nearby Salihli) is in the Aegean region and tours start from Izmir . All About Turkey © Burak Sansal 1996–2016, a certified professional tour guide in Turkey. Contact Burak at info@allaboutturkey.com for all kinds of regular and/or private travel services throughout the country. King Croesus biography | birthday, trivia | Military Leader | Who2 King Croesus Biography Royalty The last king of Lydia (c.

560-546 B.C.), Croesus was so famously rich that his name became a byword for wealth in the expression “rich as Croesus.” He allied Lydia (in Asia Minor, now Turkey) with Egypt and Babylonia against Persia (550-546 B.C.), but he was defeated and captured by Cyrus II the Great. Croesus was apparently friendly with the Greeks, some of whom (notably the lawgiver Solon) visited his capital at Sardis. The Lydians also contributed to the rebuilding of Greek shrines, including the Oracle at Delphi. The best-known anecdotes about Croesus come to us by way of Herodotus , but little is known about the true magnitude of his wealth. Archaeologists studying Sardis have yet to find a royal treasury, but they have unearthed evidence that the Lydians minted pure gold and silver coins, making them one of the first civilizations to do so. After Croesus was captured he was either burned on a pyre, miraculously saved by the god Apollo or put to use as an administrator by Cyrus, depending on the legend.

Croesus - Greek Mythology Link About • Copyright © 1997 Carlos Parada and Maicar Förlag. Croesus advanced Man from Persia, the country which destroyed Croesus' Lydian kingdom. 5103: Kneeling Persian. Roman after Hellenistic original 2C AD. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. "As for Solon 's interview with Croesus, some think to prove by chronology that it is fictitious. But when a story is so famous and so well-attested, and, what is more to the point, when it comports so well with the character of Solon , and is so worthy of his magnanimity and wisdom, I do not propose to reject it out of deference to any chronological canons, so called, which thousands are to this day revising, without being able to bring their contradictions into any general agreement." (Plutarch, Parallel Lives Solon 27.1).

"… even I cannot eradicate from myself that passion for wealth which the gods have put into the human soul and by which they have made us all poor alike, but I, too, am as insatiate of wealth as other people are. However, I think I am different from most people, in that others, when they have acquired more than a sufficiency, bury some of their treasure and allow some to decay, and some they weary themselves with counting, measuring, weighing, airing, and watching; and though they have so much at home, they never eat more than they can hold, for they would burst if they did, and they never wear more than they can carry, for they would be suffocated if they did; they only find their superfluous treasure a burden." (Cyrus to Croesus. Xenophon, Cyropaedia 8.2.20-21). King Croesus of Lydia became proverbial for his wealth and the prosperity of his kingdom. His life and deeds crossed the border between Myth and History. And Croesus himself, having been double-crossed by the oracles, crossed with an army the river separating his country from that of the Persians, causing thereby his own ruin.

King of Lydia History, and not the myths, affirms that Croesus reigned, as last king of Lydia, from 560 to 546 BC, over all peoples and cities between the Aegean coast of Asia Minor in the west and the river Halys in the East, having as his capital the city of Sardis, which is between Mount Tmolus and the river Hermos. Kings of Sardis Sardis is said to have been founded by Sardo, son of Sthenelus 7, otherwise unknown. But the country Lydia, previously known as land of the Meii, was called after King Lydus, son either of Heracles 1 , or of Atys 3 and Callithea, daughter of Choraeus. The first king of Lydia was Manes, son of Zeus and Gaia . He had, by the Oceanid Callirrhoe 1, two sons: Atys 3 and Cotys 2. However, Atys 3 is also said to have been the son of Cotys 2 and Halie 2, daughter of Tyllus, an autochthon .

Whatever the case may be, it was Atys 3, a descendant of Heracles 1 and Omphale, who succeeded his father Manes on the throne. Descendants of Heracles 1 When the throne had thus passed from Manes to Atys 3 and from Atys 3 to Lydus, it came into the hands of Agron 2, who could or not be the same that History remembers as Adadnirari III. Agron 2 was the son of the Assyrian queen Semiramis, who lived about 810 BC and turned, at her death, into a white dove, a quite natural event, if one remembers that her mother Dercetis 1, a Babylonian, had previously turned into a fish. Semiramis, who ended her life by committing suicide, was married to Ninus, whom she murdered. Ninus, credited with the foundation of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrians, was known as son of Belus 3, son of Alcaeus 6, son of Heracles 1 and Omphale, or of Heracles 1 and a female slave of King Iardanus, otherwise called father of Omphale.

In addition, some suggest that this Heracles was not Heracles 1 , but instead an Asiatic god or man. The naked queen In any case, the line of Agron 2 ruled in Sardis down to Candaules, who lost his throne for being limitless obsessed with his wife's beauty. For it happened that Candaules, being unable to control his idée fixe, and knowing that men trust their ears less than their eyes, not only told his favorite bodyguard Gyges about her beauty, but also wished him to watch the queen naked from a hiding place. At first, Gyges refused, entreating his master not to ask lawless acts of him. But when the king insisted, he had to consent, and was brought by Candaules himself to the queen's chamber, at bed time. The queen laid her garments aside, and Gyges saw her naked. But on leaving the room, she detected him and understood what her husband had contrived.

At the moment she said nothing, but having decided to punish Candaulesfor as they say it was a great shame among the Lydians to be seen nakedshe called Gyges the next day, giving him the following choice: either to kill Candaules and take her as wife along with the throne, or himself be killed. Gyges entreated her not to impose on him such a choice, but he could not move her more than he had moved Candaules when the whole affair started. This is why Gyges plotted against his master, and following the queen's instructions, he came out from the same hiding place, and slew the sleeping king with the dagger that she had given him for that purpose. Vengeance in the fifth generation The regicide caused a revolt, but Gyges and the Lydians agreed that if the Oracle of Delphi should confirm him in power, then he should reign. And since the oracle did so ordain, the descendants of Heracles 1 lost the sovereignty, and Gyges became king.

Yet some have said that the family of Croesus also descended from Heracles 1 and Omphale through their son Agelaus 1, who could or not be the same as Lamus 1, or Hyllus 3. The oracle also said that vengeance would fall upon Gyges' posterity in the fifth generation, which proved to be Croesus', for Croesus is son of Alyattes, son of Sadyattes, son of Ardys, son of Gyges (himself son of Dascylus). But at the time, Gyges had all reasons to be grateful to the oracle, and that is why he is reported to have been the first foreigner, after King Midas , to send many valuable offerings in silver and gold to Delphi . Gyges and successors Gyges kept great devotion for the woman who had been his mistress and whom he won as wife through murder, letting her rule the country. And when she died, he honoured her with a monument high enough as to be seen from the region about Mount Tmolus and many parts of Lydia.

Gyges, who reigned thirty-eight years, took the city of Colophon and started a long war against Miletus that was inherited by his successors, until peace was agreed between Thrasybulus, ruler of Miletus, and Gyges' great grandson Alyattes, contemporary of King Periander, under whose reign Arion 2 was rescued by a dolphin. Alyattes is said to have married twice, having children by both women, one from Caria and the second from Ionia . It is said that the latter plotted against her stepson Croesus, giving poison to the woman who baked the bread, and telling her to knead it into it. But the baker warned Croesus, and served the bread to the stepmother's children instead. It is for this reason that later, when Croesus became a wealthy king, he let a golden statue of the baker be made, and offered it at Delphi .

King Croesus When Alyattes died, his thirty-five years old son by the Carian womanCroesuscame to the throne, probably in 560 BC, having destroyed a faction that conspired to win the throne for his half-brother Pantaleon, son of Alyattes by the Ionian mother. When Croesus was victorious, he confiscated the estate of his enemy and put him to death by drawing him across a carding-comb. It was under Croesus' rule that the Greeks living in the Asiatic mainland were made tributary for the first time, and that all other nations west of the river Halys were subdued, becoming his subjects. This successful expansion resulted in great wealth, and since wealth, along with the power that derives from it, attracts many, including the wise, Sardis became the magnet of its time, being visited, as they say, by many teachers from Hellas. For teachers go preferably where their wages can be paid, and not necessarily where their knowledge is more needed.

And there they met Croesus, the great potentate of his time, who "… was decked out with everything in the way of precious stones, dyed raiment, and wrought gold that men deem remarkable, or extravagant, or enviable, in order that he might present a most august and gorgeous spectacle." (Plutarch, Parallel Lives Solon 27.2). Solon visits Croesus Among the wise men who visited Sardis, they say, was the Athenian statesman and poet Solon (c. 640  c. 560 BC), whom Croesus entertained in his palace, showing him the treasures, greatness and prosperity of his country; for besides being spent, wealth may also be used to cause admiration. After having thus acquainted his visitor with the country's riches, Croesus, who supposed himself to be the most blessed man, asked Solon who was renowned for his wisdom and for having seen the world and traveled far while seeking knowledgeif he had ever seen a man more happy than he.

Solon , however, gave the first prize of happiness to an inconspicuous Athenian, and when asked again, he gave the second to a couple of Argive brothers, which caused Croesus to exclaim: "… Is our prosperity, then, held by you so worthless that you match us not even with common men." (Croesus to Solon . Herodotus, History 1.32). Solon replied that the life of man was entirely chance, being completely unknown what any day might bring. And then, speaking of his host, he added: "To me you seem to be very rich and to be king of many people, but I cannot answer your question before I learn that you ended your life well. The very rich man is not more fortunate than the man who has only his daily needs, unless he chances to end his life with all well. Many very rich men are unfortunate, many of moderate means are lucky. The man who is very rich but unfortunate surpasses the lucky man in only two ways, while the lucky surpasses the rich but unfortunate in many.

The rich man is more capable of fulfilling his appetites and of bearing a great disaster that falls upon him, and it is in these ways that he surpasses the other. The lucky man is not so able to support disaster or appetite as is the rich man, but his luck keeps these things away from him, and he is free from deformity and disease, has no experience of evils, and has fine children and good looks. If besides all this he ends his life well, then he is the one whom you seek, the one worthy to be called fortunate. But refrain from calling him fortunate before he dies; call him lucky … Whoever passes through life with the most and then dies agreeably is the one who, in my opinion…deserves to bear this name. It is necessary to see how the end of every affair turns out, for heaven promises fortune to many people and then utterly ruins them." ( Solon to Croesus. Herodotus, History 1.32). Wisdom, Power and Tact This was Solon 's view on the subject of happiness.

But since he seemed to disregard prosperity, concentrating mainly in the end of every matter, Croesus concluded that his visitor was a man of no account, and sent him away accordingly. Aesop the fabulist, who flourished in the same period of time as the Seven Sages (among which Solon was counted), remarked once: "These men do not know how to act in the company of a ruler; for a man should associate with rulers either as little as possible, or with the best grace possible." (Diodorus, The Library of History 9.28.1ff.). But for all his tact, Aesop could not escape being killed by the Delphians on a false charge of sacrilege, when he had come to make an offering in Croesus' name. Others say that Aesop, knowing that Croesus had not treated Solon kindly, brought up the subject with the Athenian statesman: Aesop: "O Solon , our converse with kings should be either as rare, or as pleasing as is possible." Solon : "No, indeed, but either as rare or as beneficial as is possible." (Plutarch, Parallel Lives Solon 28.1).

Still others seem to have deemed these encounters unavoidable, probably because those who have wisdom usually lack wealth, and those who have wealth usually lack wisdom: "It is natural for wisdom and great power to come together, and they are for ever pursuing and seeking each other and consorting together." (Plato, Letters 310e). Croesus' children Croesus had children, apparently both sons and daughters. One of the sons, being both deaf and dumb, meant very little for Croesus. But the one he loved was accidentally killed while hunting by a Phrygian whom Croesus had received in his own house after cleansing him for the death of his brother, whom he had slain, also accidentally. The Phrygian declared that he did not deserve to live, but Croesus, who at first was angry at him, decided not to punish him, blaming his own fortune rather than the intent of the young Phrygian. Nevertheless, the Phrygian, having killed two men by accident, went to the tomb of Croesus' son, and slew himself upon it.

Croesus would destroy a great empire It was a couple of years after the death of his beloved son that Croesus started to worry about the growth of the power of the Persians, conceiving a preemptive war against them. With this purpose in mind, he consulted and tested the credibility of several oracles, being more satisfied with the answers provided by the one at Delphi , and the oracle of Amphiaraus at Thebes . And having offered many gifts to both, he sent Lydian envoys to inquire the following: "Shall Croesus send an army against the Persians: and shall he take to himself any allied host?" (Herodotus, History 1.53). Both oracles, they say, gave the same answer, namely that if he should send an army against the Persians he would destroy a great empire. And they also advised him to make alliance with the mightiest of powers in Hellas.

Pleased with these answers (as well as with the previous tests), he sent splendid gifts to Delphi , which in turn pleased the Delphians so much that they granted him and the Lydians the right of first consulting the oracle, freedom from charges, the best seats at festivals, and life-long right of Delphian citizenship to whoever should wish. And following the oracle, Croesus sent messengers to Sparta , and made an alliance with the Lacedaemonians. A mule king Having obtained such privileges at Delphi , Croesus made yet an inquiry, asking whether his sovereignty should last long. And the answer of the Pythia was: "Lydian, beware of the day when a mule is lord of the Medians." (Herodotus, History 1.55). This answer also pleased Croesus, for he did not deem likely that a mule would ever be king of the Medians instead of a man. Sandanis' counsel Now, war is always a dangerous business to be feared and respected, no matter which side strength and surprise and other factors seem to favor, for unexpected turns, sometimes having far reaching effects, can never be dismissed.

And since what is risked through war should be carefully compared with the eventual gains of a successful campaign, the Lydian wise man Sandanis counseled Croesus in the following manner, when he was preparing to march against the Persians: "O King, you are making ready to march against men who wear trousers of leather and their other garments of the same, and who eat not what they desire but what they have; for their land is stony. Further they use no wine, but are water drinkers, nor have they figs to eat, nor aught else that is good. Now if you conquer them, of what will you deprive them, seeing that they have nothing? But if on the other hand you are conquered, then see how many good things you will lose …" (Sandanis to Croesus. Herodotus, History 1.71). Fears growing power Yet Croesus, seeing how Cyrus had gained control over the land of the Medes, making himself the master of their vast territory, and thereby bringing the Persians to the eastern bank of the river Halys, chose to disregard Sandanis' counsel, and put his forces in motion.

It is told that Croesus, among other measures, dispatched an agentEurybatus of Ephesuswith money to recruit Greek mercenaries, but Eurybatus, they say, went over to the enemy, revealing to Cyrus his master's plans. Crosses the border Having led his army to the border, Croesus crossed the river Halys at a place not far from Sinope in the coast of the Black Sea, either through bridges, or being helped by the celebrated sage Thales of Miletus, who by digging a semicircular trench, turned the course of the river, causing part of its stream to flow in the trench to the rear of the Lydian camp, and passing it, return to its former bed. Croesus began his campaign laying waste farms, enslaving cities, and driving the inhabitants from their homes. But then King Cyrus (who is the elder Cyrus, the son of Cambyses), a man fortunate in war, and renowned for being a wise ruler, came to meet the invader, gathering more men as he marched and campaigned against many foes in Asia.

It is told that before the battle Cyrus sent messengers to Croesus, saying that he would forgive him and appoint him satrap of Lydia if Croesus presented himself at the Persian court acknowledging Cyrus as his master. But Croesus answered that Cyrus should submit instead, given that until then the Persians had been under Median rule. Return to Sardis The Lydian army, supported among others by Egyptian units, attempted to surround the Persians, but failed. Some have said that the battle ended in stalemate, and others that the Lydians were defeated. In any case Croesus has been reported to have judged prudent to march away to Sardis. Having returned to his capital, Croesus summoned his allies, among which the Lacedaemonians, to join him at Sardis in five months time for a spring campaign against the Persians, and in the meantime, some say, he disbanded many of his Lydian units, believing that after such equal encounter the Persian king would not dare to march against his capital.

Portents reported At this moment, portents were reported to have been witnessed in the outer part of Sardis, such as horses devouring snakes, which seers, with their usual sharp-wittedness, interpreted as a sign of invaders conquering the country. For the snakes, they claimed, represent the children of the earth, and the horses stand for the enemy and the foreigner. They were right, for Cyrus, having learned of the state of the Lydian army, and caring little for the previous stalemate, marched with all speed against Sardis without giving Croesus any chance to assemble his forces again. Sardis beleaguered The Lydian king, however, led the remains of his army to the plain that is before the city, arraying his skilled cavalry to meet the invaders. But Cyrus, they say, assembled all the camels he normally used for transportation of food and baggage, setting men upon them equipped like cavalrymen, and behind them he put his infantry, and behind the infantry he put his horsemen. And in this manner, they tell, when the Lydian horses saw the Persian camels, they were frightened, and the battle being thereby lost, Sardis was beleaguered.

Sardis taken At first, the Persian army made unsuccessful assaults. But when fourteen days had passed, the Persians discovered a certain part of the citadel neglected by the defence because of its height and difficult access, and climbing up on this side, which faces towards Mount Tmolus, the Persians succeeded in taking the city. This fortunate discovery was made by a Persian soldier called Hyroeades, who during the days of siege, observed a Lydian defender descending by this part of the citadel in order to fetch a helmet that had fallen down. It has also been told that, in former timeswhen King Meles ruled Sardishis concubine borne him a lion. It was then declared that if the lion were carried round the walls, Sardis would never be taken. Meles, they say, did as it was prophesied and carried the beast round the walls. However, he excepted that part of the acropolis which he judged impossible to attack on account of its height. And it was precisely here that Hyroeades and the rest of the Persians climbed up, taking the city.

Pyre for Croesus (I) Croesus, some assert, had prepared himself for this day of utter defeat. And being determined to escape slavery he had built a pyre, which he mounted together with his wife and daughters, when the Persians were about to sack the city. The women were weeping inconsolably as he, while reproaching Apollo 's ingratitude, ordered a slave to kindle the pyre. It was then that Zeus sent the rain-cloud that quenched the flames, and Apollo came to bring Croesus and his family to live among the Hyperboreans … "… since of all mortals he sent the greatest gifts to holy Pytho." (Bacchylides, Odes 3.64). … and as if it were suspected that some could find this impossible, it is added: "Nothing is unbelievable which is brought about by the gods' ambition." (Bacchylides, Odes 3.57).

Mute speaks But others tell otherwise, affirming that during the sack of Sardis a Persian soldier came at Croesus with intent of killing him, not because he wished to disobey King Cyrus, who had given orders to capture Croesus alive, but becauseas it often happenshe did not know who Croesus was. And when Croesus' dumb son, who at the moment was with his father, saw the Persian soldier coming, he, who had never uttered a single word, broke into speech and exclaimed: "Man, do not kill Croesus!" (Croesus' son to the Persian soldier. Herodotus, History 1.85). In this way another oracle was fulfilled which had prophesied that Croesus' son would speak some unfortunate day: "O you of Lydian stock, over many king. You great fool Croesus: never wish to hear within your halls the much-desired sound of your son speaking. Better far for you that he remain apart; for the first words he speaks shall be upon a luckless day." (Diodorus, The Library of History 9.33.2).

The Persian soldier then, obeying his king, spared the life of Croesus, who was made a prisoner after fourteen years of reign and fourteen days of siege. This is how the oracle was fulfilled, for by attacking the Persians the king of Lydia destroyed a great empire, as it had been foretold. Pyre for Croesus (II) It is now that the pyre appears, others assert, and he who had it built was not Croesus but Cyrus, although the man to be burned on it was the same. And so, while Sardis was still being sacked, Croesus saw himself bound in chains together with fourteen Lydian boys, all awaiting death by the flames. As he stood in this evil plight, he remembered Solon , the man who used to concentrate in the end of every matter and who, years ago, had not wished to call anyone happy before his death. And sighing and groaning Croesus said " Solon , Solon , Solon …", being then heard by Cyrus, who now bade interpreters to ask him what Croesus meant (for Solon was not so well known then as he is now).

Croesus was reluctant to speak, but being harassed, he finally said "I would prefer to great wealth his coming into discourse with all despots." (Croesus to the Persians. Herodotus, History 1.86). … but as this was still unintelligible they asked again, and Croesus told them about Solon and all his sayings, which greatly admired Cyrus. In the meantime, and while this wholesome conversation between Croesus and the Persians was taking place, the flames in the outer parts of the pyre grew higher and higher, as if reminding them that there is always very little time for wisdom. Now Cyrus, seizing the meaning of that narrow instant, considered that there was no purpose in burning alive a man that had once been as fortunate as himself, and ordered to quench the fire and bring Croesus and the Lydian boys down from the pyre. However his servants, for all their efforts, could not master the fire. And when it seemed that it was too late the rain fell from clouds gathered in a clear and windless sky, when Croesus, having seen Cyrus' repentance, invoked Apollo , the god whom he had pleased with so many gifts.

And as this most violent rain quenched the fire, Cyrus, perceiving that Croesus was beloved of the gods, brought him down from the pyre and set him near to himself. And since Cyrus changed his mind on account of what Croesus had told about Solon it was later said that: " Solon had the reputation of saving one king and instructing another by means of a single saying." (Plutarch, Parallel Lives Solon 28.4). Plunder Having escaped death in such an extraordinary manner, Croesus sat in silence with his thoughts. But then, seeing how the Persian army sacked the city, he asked Cyrus what they were doing, and the following dialogue followed: Cyrus: "They are plundering your city and carrying off your possessions." Croesus: "Nay, not my city, nor my possessions; for I have no longer any share of all this; it is your wealth that they are ravishing …" (Herodotus, History 1.89). Having said this and noticing that the Persian king listened to him, Croesus counseled him as to how to deal properly with the matter of spoils of war.

But others say that Cyrus himself knew from the beginning how to handle the matter of plunder, and that he, during the taking of Sardis, threatened those among his allies who were guilty of insubordination and had run into the city to get plunder from the houses. In any case Croesus' insights pleased Cyrus, who having praised him greatly, took the possessions of the inhabitants of Sardis for the Royal Treasury. Croesus becomes wiser Cyrus, they say, gave Croesus a place in his council, believing him to be a sagacious man for having associated with so many men of learning. Some believe that these are the reasons why Cyrus attained so much greatness, for he treated all those he subdued with the same consideration and respect that he treated Croesus, thus appearing more as a benefactor than as a conqueror. In that manner the fame of his clemency spread all over the world, and many wished to become his allies. Despite his newly acquired wisdom, and despite the fact that he had just been saved by an unexpected rain after invoking Apollo , Croesus was still bitter against the oracles that had, as he saw it, double-crossed him.

So when Cyrus, who now had come to like his prisoner, asked him for whatever boon he desired, Croesus bade the king to let him send his own chains to Delphi , as a reproach to the god that had deluded him. Oracles explained This is why Lydians came to Delphi carrying Croesus' chains, and asking if the god was not ashamed for having encouraged Croesus to attack the Persians. But there they learned from the Pythia that Croesus was the man appointed by fatefor belonging to the fifth generationto pay for the death of Candaules, whom Gyges, ancestor of Croesus, had murdered. Moreover, the Pythia said, Apollo had wished that Sardis had fallen after Croesus' time, but he could not turn the purpose of the MOERAE . Therefore the god could only favor Croesus in so far as they would accept, being able just to delay the taking of Sardis for three years and save Croesus from the pyre.

Besides, the Pythian priestess added, the oracle had rightly declared that if Croesus should lead an army against the Persians he would destroy a great empire, and it had been up to Croesus himself to further ask which empire was meant. Croesus, the Pythia continued, did not understand either the oracle concerning the mule, by which Cyrus himself had been meant, for this king was the son of two persons belonging to different nations. And whereas his mother was nobler for being a Median princess, his father was a Persian of lesser estate under Median rule. These were the Pythia's answers, and on learning about them, Croesus, they say, admitted that he was to blame and not Loxias (who is Apollo , the Oblique). The Persians reach the Aegean Sea Such is the story of Croesus, chosen by fate to pay for Gyges' crime, and remembered for his wealth. Yet he did believe that happiness was a greater good than wealth: otherwise he had not called to his court the wisest men of his time, whom he generously sent away with many presents.

An important part of his wealth he used for military purposes, but he believed that Heaven rules, and not strength: otherwise he had not sent so many valuable gifts to Delphi and other places. He lacked talent to understand oracles, but he understood enough to put the interpreters of the gods to the test, showing that his piety was not blind. When his empire was destroyed, the Persians came to the Aegean Sea, subduing the Greeks of the Asiatic mainland, threatening the islanders and indeed the whole of Hellas.

Other anecdotes about Croesus Anacharsis , a wise Scythian prince Anacharsis , who traveled much in Hellas, visited also Croesus in Lydia, where they had this conversation: Croesus: "Whom do you consider to be the bravest of living beings?" Anacharsis : "The wildest animals; for they alone willingly die in order to maintain their freedom." Croesus: "Whom do you judge to be the most just of living beings?" Anacharsis : "The wildest animals; for they alone live in accordance with nature, not in accordance with laws; since nature is a work of God, while law is an ordinance of man, and it is more just to follow the institutions of God than those of men." Croesus: "And are the beasts, then, also the wisest?" Anacharsis : "The peculiar characteristic of wisdom consists in showing a greater respect to the truth which nature imparts than to the ordinance of the law." Croesus, they say, laughed at him and at his answers, which he thought to be the natural answers of a barbarian from Scythia (Diodorus, The Library of History 9.26.3ff.).

Pittacus of Mytilene (c. 650-570 BC), a statesman and a wise man Croesus is said to have offered Pittacus as much riches from his treasury as he wished to take, but Pittacus refused the gift, saying that he already had twice as much as he wished. Croesus, amazed as always, although this time at Pittacus ' lack of avarice, asked for the meaning of such a reply, and Pittacus said: "My brother died childless and I inherited his estate, which was the equal of my own, and I have experienced no pleasure in having received the extra amount." (Diodorus 9.12.2). Croesus - Livius Croesus Croesus (595-547?): fifth and last king of the Mermnad dynasty . His reign may have lasted from 560 to 547. Head of Croesus on a vase in the Louvre, Paris (France) According to the Greek researcher Herodotus of Halicarnassus , king Croesus of Lydia was a very powerful man, whose dominion included all the people to the west of the river Halys [...].

He was the first foreigner so far as we know to come into direct contact with the Greeks, both in the way of conquest and alliance, forcing tribute from Ionians, Aeolians, and Asiatic Dorians, and forming a pact of friendship with the Spartans.note[Herodotus of Halicarnassus, Histories 1.6; tr. Aubrey de Selincourt.] This is a bit exaggerated. The first king of independent Lydia, Gyges , had already captured a Greek town, Colophon, and Croesus' father Alyattes had taken Smyrna He also concluded a peace treaty with Miletus . So Lydian involvement in the Greek world was nothing new. What did matter, however, was that Croesus captured nearly all Greek towns along the west coast of Asia. Even more important, when he was defeated by the Persian king Cyrus the Great , these towns became part of the Achaemenid empire. According to Herodotus, this was the cause of the great conflict between Greeks and Persians in the first quarter of the fifth century.

Croesus was born in c.595 as the son of Alyattes, the ruler of Lydia between c.600 and c.560, and a woman from Caria . He had a sister Aryenis who was in 585 old enough to be married to king Astyages of Media , as part of a border treaty between Lydia and Media. She must have been two or three years older than Croesus. Another sister was married to the tyrant of the Greek city Ephesus , Melas. Finally, Croesus had a half-brother Pantaleon, the son of king Alyattes and a Greek woman. Without any doubt Croesus was the crown prince. He served some time as governor of Adramyttion, the capital of Mysia and the Troad, which was the usual position given to the intended heir of the Lydian king. Yet, when Astyages died in c.560, Pantaleon seems to have revolted and Croesus' stepmother tried to poison the new monarch. Eventually, Croesus was saved by his baker, and after much bloodshed the thirty-five year old man could establish himself as sole ruler of Lydia.

According to Herodotus, the first city that Croesus attacked was Ephesus. The Ephesians, when he laid siege to them, ran a rope from their walls to the temple of Artemis , putting the town, by means of this link, under the goddess' protection. The distance between the temple and the old town is about 1½ kilometers.note[Herodotus, Histories 1.26; tr. Aubrey de Selincourt.] This story is strange, because the tyrant of Ephesus, Pindarus, was the son of Croesus' sister and the former pro-Lydian tyrant, Melas. The regime change must have resulted in a change of policy, and Croesus may have laid siege to the town because it had seized to support Lydia. However this may be, the conflict was ultimately settled peacefully, and Croesus rebuilt the temple of Artemis. He subsequently attacked all the Ionian and Aeolian cities in turn on various pretexts, substantial or trivial, according to what ground of complaint he could find against them.

He forced all Asiatic Greeks to pay him tribute.note[Herodotus, Histories 1.26.] The citadel of Sardes, seen fronm the west Only Miletus, which had been granted a special status by Alyattes, retained some independence, but essentially, all Greeks in Asia Minor were subdued to Croesus. This included Pergamon, which had useful metal mines. The Greeks living on the islands were tied to the Lydian empire by a treaty. He kept all the people west of the Halys in subjection - Lydians, Phrygians , Mysians, Mariandynians, Chalybians, Paphlagonians, Thracians (both Thynian and Bithynian), Carians, Ionians, Dorians, Aeolians, and Pamphylians .

When all these nations had been added to the Lydian empire and Sardes was at the height of her wealth and prosperity, all Greek teachers of that epoch, one after another, paid visits to the capital.note[Herodotus, Histories 1.28.] Solon, mosaic from Suweydie near Baalbek Among these Greeks were the author of fables Aesopus, the Athenian statesman Solon , and the scientist Thales of Miletus . They returned home with stories about the fabulous wealth of Sardes, which the Lydian king also put on display in Delphi , the shrine of Apollo. However, Croesus was not always lucky. He had two sons. One of them was mute and therefore unfit to rule. His other son, Atys, was in Mysia (perhaps at Adramyttion, the palace of the crown prince) when he died during a hunting accident. According to Herodotus, our main source, Croesus grieved for the death of his son for two years, until news from the east put an end to his mourning.

The Halys (Kizil Irmak) near Kirikkale In 550, the Median empire, which was separated from Lydia by the river Halys, had been overthrown by a Persian named Cyrus , and Croesus wanted to benefit from this turmoil. He might, for example, conquer Cappadocia and Armenia . But Cyrus was a formidable foe, and therefore, the Lydian allied himself to the pharaoh of Egypt, Amasis . Croesus' envoys seem to have visited the newly founded oracle of Ammon in the desert, which was often a sign that the man who sent them wanted to do business with the local leader. It is not known why Amasis accepted the deal. At the same time, the Babylonian king Nabonidus was looking for an ally against the Persians, and he must have sided with Croesus' coalition. Finally, after consulting the oracle of Delphi (and leaving many presents), the Lydians asked and received support from the Spartans. Perhaps, this was also the time when the first Jews settled in Sardes.

The evidence is weak, but it has been claimed that the Sepharad mentioned in Obadiah 20 lived in Sfard, the old name of Sardes. Having obtained political support, Croesus decided to attack. The oracle of Delphi had politely denied to predict what was to happen: "If you attack, you will destroy a mighty kingdom", was the famous reply, and Croesus must have known that this was not an answer. He reached the Halys, where Thales of Miletus showed his qualities as an engineer: he was able to give the stream another course, so that the army did not have to waste time crossing the river. There was an ancient route from Sardes and Gordium to the capitals of Assyria and Elam, Nineveh and Susa : the Royal road . It is likely that Croesus' army marched along this route to the east, and that Cyrus arrived from the west using the same road. At a place called Pteria the two armies clashed. The battle was indecisive. Tumuli at the Lydian royal cemetery at Bin Tepe Croesus decided to return home.

It was late in the season and Cyrus would not be able to pursue him, because he would expose his southern flank to Babylonian attacks. Besides, the Persian king had now understood that the king of Lydia was prepared to fight. So Croesus returned home, disbanded his army -his subjects needed time to sow- and wrote a letter to the Spartans that he could need some help. At that moment, Cyrus' army appeared on the plain of Sardes. Incredible, but true. Dromedary warrior Although large contingents of the Lydian army were away, the cavalry was ready. However, during the Battle of Sardes , Cyrus made use of a stratagem that Croesus cold not have anticipated: He gathered all the dromedaries from his army train, took off their burdens and set cavalry men upon them. Having thus furnished them, he ordered them to go in front of the rest of the army towards the horsemen of Croesus [...]. He did this because horses are afraid of dromedaries and can not endure to see or smell them.note[Herodotus, Histories 1.80.] The Lydians were defeated and Sardes was besieged.

The city was captured, and Croesus was arrested. According to Herodotus, Cyrus ordered a pyre to be prepared and wanted to burn Croesus alive. The fire was already burning when the god Apollo came to Croesus' rescue: it started to rain. Cyrus now understood that his opponent enjoyed divine protection and allowed him to send an envoy to Delphi to ask the god 'if it is the habit of Greek gods to be so unappreciative'. According to Herodotus, Apollo replied that not even he could escape destiny; and even though he had been eager that the downfall of the Lydian monarchy occurred in the time of Croesus' son rather than in his own, he had been unable to divert the course of Fate. Nabonidus Chronicle This charming story about divine aid appears to be contradicted by an important cuneiform text from Babylon ( year nine in the Nabonidus chronicle ). For a long time, it has been assumed that this tablet enables us to assign a date to the end of the Lydian monarchy: 547 BCE. Unfortunately, there is a tantalizing lacuna in the text.

It states that Cyrus went north along the Tigris , defeated the king of Lu..., killed the king and took the capital. It is unclear whether this refers to Lydia (in which case Herodotus makes a mistake) or to another, unknown kingdom. On balance, most scholars now agree that it is not a reference to Lydia ( more... ) However, this does not mean that Herodotus is right. Croesus must have died at Sardes. In the first place, beloved leaders never die. We may compare Croesus' fate with tales about the last pharaoh of independent Egypt, Nectanebo II , the British king Arthur, the German emperor Frederic II, Adolf Hitler, and Elvis Presley. Their followers refused to believe that they were dead. It is true that Herodotus mentions Croesus several times as adviser of the Persian kings Cyrus and Cambyses , but in those stories, the Lydian always plays the wise counselor whose sound advise is ignored, a narrative trick that is often called the 'tragic warner' motif. Lydian stater Another explanation can be found in Herodotus' source.

He clearly never visited Sardes (he says that the houses had thatched roofs, whereas they were in fact made of roof tiles), but is well-informed about the relation between the Mermnad kings and Delphi. The Delphian god had received much gold and silver, and his priests had to explain why the pious worshipper had been punished. They denied that it had happened at all. The answer seems to have developed in two stages. The poet Bacchylides represents the first of these. In his view, Croesus was rescued and now lived among the mythical Hyperboreans, in the extreme north. (This story is more or less identical to the legend of Iphigenia, who was sacrificed by her father Agamemnon to Artemis but rescued by the goddess and brought to the Taurians in the north.) The second stage can be found in Herodotus' Histories: he rationalized the story - the mythological Hyperboreans disappeared and Croesus' second life was in Persia. This page was created in 1996; last modified on 4 August 2015.

Question: Who was the rich king of Lydia renowned for his wealth?
Answer: Croesus