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Reign of Croesus, King of Lydia

Type Event Region Asia Time -560–-546

Around 560–546 BCE, Croesus ruled Lydia from Sardis, famed for wealth and pioneering large-scale gold and silver coinage, until his defeat by Cyrus e…

Timeline

  1. -560–-550Sardis · LydiaCroesus succeeded his father Alyattes II and continued expanding Lydian power, conquering the Greek city-states of western Asia Minor; the kingdom's wealth and influence reached their peak.
  2. c. -560–-546Sardis · LydiaUnder Croesus, Lydia minted standardized gold and silver coins on a large scale, promoting trade and tax collection; Sardis became an important economic center of Asia Minor.
  3. -547–-546Pteria · PhrygiaCroesus attacked the rising Persian Achaemenid Empire; after initial victories he was defeated by Cyrus the Great on the plain of Pteria, Sardis fell, the Kingdom of Lydia perished, and western Asia Minor was absorbed into the Persian Empire.

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