The Lydian Kingdom in ancient times

The Ancient Lydian Kingdom was the center of the Western part of the Peninsula of Asia Minor. At the turn of II and I millennia it was part of another powerful state-of Phrygia. After the weakening and decay of the latest Lydia became an independent education. Its capital was the city of Sardis, located on the banks of the river Paktol.

Economy

The Prosperity of the economy Lydian Kingdom had a developed agricultural economy. River of Asia Minor fertilized his soil with silt and made it extremely fertile. On the mountain slopes the inhabitants of the country bred a Fig tree, grapes and other crops. In the valleys flourished the cultivation of grain.

The Geographical position of the Lydian Kingdom was also favorable for cattle breeding and horse breeding, which was engaged on the huge pastures. Another important area of the economy of the ancient state – metallurgy. The mines of Asia Minor, kept large stocks of silver, iron, zinc and copper. The river Paktol and is called “gold” (on its shores in abundance across nuggets). The Lydians were not just rich land owners. They learned how to extract gold from the rocks and clean it using the most developed at that time, techniques and tools.

Trade and crafts

The Lydians were able to make gorgeous clothes, luxury hats and shoes. Their pottery was famous throughout the Mediterranean (especially tiles and painted vessels). In Sardis were made of durable bricks, the famous ochre and other paints of various colors.

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Located at the junction of the Oriental and Greek worlds, the Lydian Kingdom led an active and lucrative trade. Its merchants were famous for their consistency, was repeatedly mentioned by ancient writers. In Lydia came merchants and others – they built comfortable hotels. This country was traditionally considered the birthplace of coins – a new convenient way of shopping treatment. Money was minted from different metals. For example, during the reign of king Gyges came coins made of a natural alloy of silver and gold-electrum. The monetary system of the Lydians spread to all neighboring countries. It was used even in the Greek cities of Ionia.

Society

The Most influential layer Lydian societies were slave owners, among them the priestly and the military elite, the wealthy landowners, rich merchants. For example, Herodotus mentioned about a certain aristocrat Pythia. He was so rich that he gave the Persian ruler Darius I the Golden vine and sycamore. This ruler organized a luxurious reception of Xerxes, marching with the army in Greek city-States.

The Lydian Kingdom earned by taxes deposited in the Royal Treasury and temples. Pay them mainly herders, smallholders, artisans. At the bottom of the social ladder were slaves – privately owned, temple, etc.

Political system

Lydia is a classic monarchy of the Ancient world. The state was ruled by a king. He relied on the army and loyal bodyguards. In the Lydian army was especially famous for chariots and cavalry. Kings sometimes resorted to servants mercenaries from among the neighbors of the Ionians, Carians, Lycians. At first an important role in the life of the country played the national Assembly. However, over time, power centralized, and the kings ceased to pay attention to the opinion of society.

The Lydian Kingdom in ancient times still did not get rid of archaic social and political remnants: of the customs of their ancestors, division of tribal signs, the ancient tribal legal norms, etc. But even these shortcomings have not prevented the country to join in its Golden age in the VII-VI centuries BC At this time the Kingdom was ruled by a series of Mammadov. Its founder was Giles. He ruled in the first half of the VII century BC.

King, Gyges

Gyges descended from a noble but not a Royal dynasty. He seized power in a Palace coup. This king of the Lydian Kingdom was the most powerful of all the rulers of the country: how his predecessors and his successors. Gages, attached to its power Mysia, Troas, and part of Caria and Phrygia. Thanks to this, the Lydians began to control access to important commercial sea routes and the black sea Straits.

However, even the initial successes of Gyges remained incomplete without further conquests. For trade development the Lydian Kingdom, whose history consisted of a few centuries, had to exit to the Aegean sea. The first attempt to conquer in this area Greek city-States of Smyrna and Miletus failed. But Gyges managed to subdue Magnesia and Colophon, part of the Ionian Union. Although the Lydian king fought with some policies, he was not an enemy of all Greeks. It is known that Gyges sent generous offerings to Delphi, and also maintained friendly relations with the priests of the Hellenic God Apollo.

Relations with Assyria

Western foreign policy Lydia was successful. But in the East it is pursuedfailure. In this direction the country was threatened who lived in Cappadocia hordes of the Cimmerians. Giles unsuccessfully tried to subdue Cilicia and access to the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Realizing that alone with a formidable enemy can not cope, the king enlisted the support of Assyria. However, he soon changed his mind. Gives found new allies – Babylonia and Egypt. These States sought to get rid of the hegemony of the neighboring Assyria. Lydia entered into a coalition against the Empire. The war, however, was lost. The Cimmerians became allies of the Assyrians, and attacked the possessions of Gyges. In one of the battles he was killed. The nomads captured Sardis, the main city of the Lydian Kingdom. The whole capital (except impregnable Acropolis) was burned. It is in this citadel served the successor of Gigas – Ardis. In the future, he got rid of the Cimmerian threat. The price for security was a high – Lydia became dependent on powerful Assyria.

War with the media

In the East of Ardis unlike Gigas led a careful and balanced foreign policy. But the offensive in a westerly direction, he continued. In the second half of VII century BC Lydia was at war with Miletus and Prienai, but to no avail. Whenever a Greek city was able to defend its independence.

Meanwhile, under pressure from neighbors fell the Assyrian Empire. Lydian kings tried to take advantage of this to extend its authority in the Eastern provinces of Asia Minor. Here they had a new competitor-media. The bitter war between the two kingdoms occurred in the 590-585 BC the Tradition of the last battle of that campaign says that right during the battle, a solar Eclipse occurred. And Lydians, and the Medes were a superstitious people. They regarded the astronomical phenomenon as a bad sign in horror and dropped their weapons.

It was Soon concluded a peace Treaty that restored the status quo (the border between the two powers was the river Galis). The agreement was secured with a dynastic marriage. Media heir and future king of astiag married Princess Lydia. Around the same time, the Cimmerians were finally expelled from Asia Minor.

Falling kingdoms

Another period of prosperity and stability, Lydia came in the reign of king Croesus in 562-547 BCE He completed the work of their predecessors and conquered the Greek land in the West of Asia Minor. However, by the end of the reign of this monarch Lydia got in the way of continuing successful expansion of Persia. On the eve of the inevitable war with a formidable opponent Croesus concluded an Alliance with Athens, Sparta, Babylon and Egypt.

Believing in yourself, and Croesus himself invaded Persia belonged to Cappadocia. However, to establish control over the province failed. The Lydians retreated and returned home. King of Persia Cyrus II the Great decided not to stop the war, and he invaded a neighboring country. He captured Croesus and the capital of the Lydian Kingdom fell, this time permanently.

In 547 BC, Lydia lost its independence and became part of the new Persian Empire. The former Kingdom was declared a satrapy. Lydian people have gradually lost their identity and merged with other ethnic groups of Asia Minor.

Culture, art, religion

The Lydian culture was one of the most advanced for its time. Its people have created their own alphabet. This script had a lot in common with the Greek. Nevertheless to decipher it was only the archaeologists of the New time.

The Inhabitants of Sardis, and other cities of the ancient Kingdom loved military dance, military gymnastic games, and ball games, cubes and dice. Famous of Lydian music, including folk songs and Lydian instruments included cymbals, a tambourine, pipes, flutes, rattles and many-stringed lyre. For an ancient civilization this was a significant cultural progress. The Lydians possessed knowledge about art, but also had outstanding doctors.

The Rulers of the old Kingdom were buried in tombs. However, it was developed the art of building well-protected fortresses. The inhabitants of the country were built entire reservoir. Lydian art gave the then world of talented jewelers working with precious metals and crystal. It gave the Greek culture some traditions of the East.

The Lydian Pantheon consisted of many gods. Especially revered by those that stood at the head of the cults of death and resurrection (Attis, Sandown, Shabazi). The believers staged in honor of their sacrifice. Most popular used Great mother, or the mother of the gods, which were associated with the cult of fertility and war.