Croesus

Q: Who was Croesus?

Croesus was the king of Lydia, a region in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) reigning 560-546 BCE. He was the last king of the Mermnad Dynasty (c. 700-546 BCE) before Lydia fell to the Persians.

Q: What is Croesus famous for?

Croesus is best known for the expression "as rich as Croesus" referencing anyone of significant wealth because Croesus was the richest king of his time. He is also well known for his fall from power due to his misinterpreting a message from the gods.

Q: Was Croesus the first king to mint coins?

The first coins in history were minted in Lydia under the reign of Croesus' father, King Alyattes (r.c. 635-585 BCE), and were made of electrum; Croesus minted coins of gold.

Q: How did Croesus die?

There is no record of Croesus' death. He was defeated in battle by Cyrus the Great and his kingdom absorbed into the Achaemenid Empire. Later writers claimed he was kept as a counselor by Cyrus or spirited away by the gods in order to provide his story with a happy ending but no one knows what happened to him.

Joshua J. Mark

Croesus

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Definition

Croesus (r. 560-546 BCE) was the King of Lydia, a region in western Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and was so wealthy that the expression "as rich as Croesus" originates in reference to him. Best known for his wealth, he is also famous for misinterpreting the message from the Oracle at Delphi, leading to his downfall.

More about: Croesus

Timeline

c. 700 BCE - 546 BCE
The Mermnad dynasty rules Lydia.
c. 595 BCE
Birth of Croesus.
560 BCE - 546 BCE
Reign of Croesus of Lydia.
c. 560 BCE
Croesus of Lydia first manufactures coins of solid gold.

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