The Fall of Croesus 550 BCE

Croesus, the king of Lydia from 585 BCE, had a truly gilded inheritance. His father Alyattes extended Lydian dominion over the whole of western Asia Minor (bar the Psidians, corralled in their central mountain fastness), a region rich in produce, prosperous ports and cities and even the River Pactolus from which the Phrygian king Midas had harvested his gold. After his accession, Croesus determined to become even wealthier by harassing and annexing the various Greek colonial outposts on his Aegean coastline, starting with Ephesus. This campaign earned the enmity of the Greeks who made Croesus a favourite butt of their morality tales, highlighting his smugness and vanity. But, in his pomp, Croesus was immune to their criticism, secure in alliances with the great powers of the day, Saite Egypt and the new Babylonian Empire, while lavishing opulent gifts on his Greek ally Sparta and the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. Then, in 547 BCE, his eastern border on the River Halys was threatened by the upstart Medean ruler, Cyrus. According to Greek fable, Croesus was told by the Delphic oracle that if he crossed the Halys he would “destroy a great empire”. Emboldened, Croesus advanced – to defeat, and the destruction of his own kingdom.