The Kingdom of Lydia

Abstract

Abstract The chapter discusses the kingdom of Lydia, a major Anatolian power in the first millennium bc, famous for its wealth and especially for the invention of coinage. Lydia dominated western Asia Minor in the first half of the sixth century bc, closely interacting with its various Near Eastern and Greek neighbors, until the defeat of its final king Croesus at the hands of Cyrus II of Persia. Tales of Lydia’s last ruling dynasty, the so-called Mermnad Dynasty from Gyges to Croesus, have influenced European literature since Classical times, while information about this clan is only now emerging from Lydian texts, as recent advances in Lydian philology and archaeology are readjusting the research focus on Lydia’s Near Eastern heritage. After introducing the region and the history of its settlement, the chapter presents the Lydian language, the extant Lydian inscriptions, and the other available sources that inform the subsequent overview of the history of this influential state.