Turkey In Photos - History

Lydia emerged as a Neo-Hittite State after the collapse of the Hittite Empire in the Western Anatolia region. İn the 12th century BC. Lydia's earlier name was Maeonia. Their capital was Sardis, although the city was called Hyde in that period. The Lydians ruled about the 12th century BC to about 546 BC. Lydians ruled a large part of anatolia in their peak time stretching from the Black Sea to the Aegean and Mediterrenean (only Lycia and Pamphylia was not taken). Lydians used a Indo-European language whereas Greek effect on literature and fine arts were seen.

Lydia was ruled by 3 dynasties from the beginning to the end. These dynasties were Atyads, Heraclids and Mermnads. The region was actually called Lydia with the beginning of the last of these dynasties, the Mermnads. Gyges, the first ruler of this dynasty, changed the name of their capital to Sardis. While being a rather small nation during the first two dynasties, Lydians followed an expansionist policy during the last. Gyges launched military campaigns both to the North and West of Anatolia. During this period, the barbarian Cimmerians were terrorizing the east Anatolia. After destructing Phrygians, they attacked the Lydians. The first battle was avictory for the Lydians but the second attack was succesfull. Almost all Lydia was conqured by the Cimmerians but the capital of Sardis could not be taken. Ardys (652-621 BC), following the death of his father at the second battle against the Cimmerians, asked help from the Assyrians and in a decisive battle Cimmerians were beaten and never was able to recover. Ardys, after years of terror in his country, started a reconstruction campaign in Lydia. All sacked cities were rebuilt. After that Lydians marched towards the Ionian cities and took Priene.

After the death of Ardys, Sadyattes, with almost no great opportunity for the Lydians came to rule. His son however, next ruler of Lydia, was one of the greatest kings of Lydia. Alyattes (610-560 BC), with great diplomatic skills, reasserted Lydis's sway over the Ioanian and Carian cities made Lydia one of the most powerful nations of the Near East. The greates danger for the Lydians though, the Persian Empire, was rising in the east in this period.

After a long and and successful reign of Alyattes, his son Croesus, accepted as the greatest king of Lydia (according to the Greek sources), came into rule (560-546 BC). During his rule, Lydia reached the zenith of its power. But ironically, also during his reign, Lydia was defeated and ended by the Persians. Croesus, enlarged the Lydian Kingdom to its peak after conquering whole Ioania including Ephesus, one of the most civilized and developed cities of its time. He started a reconstruction of the Artemis Temple at Ephesus which was severely damaged by the Cimmerians. On the eastern border, Persians became a huge threat for the Lydians where a war was inevitable. The first day ofthe battle was very harsh and both armies got back at the end of the day. Thinking of getting support from his allies and reattacking the Persians in the next spring, Croesus decided to go back to Sardis. But another great king, Cyrus of Persia, moved his army to the Gediz Plain near Sardis and beat Croesus here. Lydians puleld back to the fortified walls of Sardis. After a siege of 14 days, Sardis fell and the Lydian Kingdom ended.

Lydians were the first civilization that used coins around 600 BC in the history of mankind. They made gold, silver and electrum (mixture between gold and silver) coins.