Who were the Lydians?

Added: 24 October 2026

The Lydians built an Iron Age kingdom in western Anatolia. Sardis is associated with wealth and early coinage, within a longer history of money.

Origins and development

1. Context and chronology The kingdom was influential from roughly the eighth to sixth centuries BCE. Sardis linked inland Anatolia and the Aegean, and remained inhabited after Persian conquest. 2. Society, government and events Walls, terraces, sanctuaries and Bin Tepe tumuli reflect political life. Early electrum coins illuminate payment and authority, though exchange did not depend solely on coins.

Legacy and historical evidence

3. Consequences and significance Sardis is key to studying cultural contact and coinage. Lydian inscriptions and later Persian, Greek and Roman layers show its long history. 4. Evidence and interpretation Tombs, coins and settlement layers are considered together. Ancient stories of wealth require comparison with finds, and claims of the first money depend on definitions.

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Revision history

24 October 2026 — Article added.