Author: Charles River Charles River Editors Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform ISBN: 9781530600847 Category : Languages : en Pages : 50
Book Description
*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the Lydians from ancient historians and contemporary records *Includes footnotes, online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "When all these nations had been added to the Lydian empire, and Sardis was at the height of her wealth and prosperity, all the great Greek teachers of that epoch, one after another, paid visits to the capital." - Herodotus Of all the empires and kingdoms in the ancient world, few could compare with the Lydians in terms of wealth and opulence. From the early 7th century BCE until the middle of the 6th century BCE, the Lydians played an important role in the history of the eastern Mediterranean region as they took on the role of middleman between the empires of the Near East and the emerging Hellenic civilization in Greece. From their capital in Sardis, the Lydian kings traded and made alliances and war with numerous kings, tyrants, and generals, which ultimately cemented their role as a brief but historically important people and kingdom in the ancient world. An examination of the Lydian people and their kingdom reveals that their power did not materialize overnight, but was instead a long process, dependent upon several factors. The primary factor contributing to Lydia's success was its wealth. The Lydians were fortunate enough to possess large deposits of precious metals within in their territory, but how they exploited and utilized those resources is what truly made them successful. They were the first people to invent a currency which not only allowed them to create a thriving economy within their own territory, but gave them tool with which to influence both their friends and enemies abroad. The wealth of Lydia impressed non-Lydians to the point that even the most sublime Greek philosophers who generally eschewed wealth, praised the high culture of Lydia and the Lydian people in general and the greatness of their capital city of Sardis in particular. Lydia was also successful because its kings were shrewd, politically savvy men who knew the supreme art of diplomacy. The Lydian kings would make alliances based not only on their immediate interests, but also with a view to the future, as they would often play one kingdom against another. Ultimately, despite their wealth and guile, the Lydians found themselves the victims of the Achaemenid Persian juggernaut, which consumed their kingdom, along with many others, in the mid-6th century BCE. But even after Lydia was conquered by the Persians, the Lydian people, and especially the city of Sardis, continued to play an important role in the history of the region. The Ancient Lydians: The History and Legacy of the Iron Age Kingdom of Lydia looks at the history of one of the most influential empires to ever take root in Anatolia. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Vandals like never before, in no time at all.
Author: Annick Payne Publisher: ISBN: 9783447105682 Category : Excavations (Archaeology) Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
The Lydians, speakers of an ancient Indo-European language, dominated Western Asia Minor under the Mermnad dynasty in the 7th and 6th centuries BC. The final Mermnad king of Lydia, Croesus, is still cited today as the epitome of incredible riches. Apart from the figure of Croesus, the Lydians are well known because they are famously credited with the invention of coinage, and because of the prominence of Lydian tales in Graeco-Roman literature, in particular in the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus. These, in turn, inspired many later accounts and artistic representations, including Friedrich Hebbel's tragedy 'Gyges und sein Ring' and Alexander Zemlinky's opera 'King Candaules'. First-hand information on the Lydians stems mainly from archaeological research, as the available corpus of native Lydian texts is limited in size and genre, while later sources may show bias and distance to events recorded. This volume combines current historical, linguistic, and archaeological research to discuss the following topics: Lydian history and archaeology; language and writing; money, religion, and burial customs; concluding with the perception of Lydia throughout history. The book offers an up-to-date introduction to the Lydians, with extensive bibliographical references for further study. It is aimed at a wide audience, including general readers and scholars. A particular focus lies on the re-interpretation of the available text sources, taking into account recent advances made in neighboring academic fields in the study of ancient Anatolian civilizations.
Author: Christopher H. Roosevelt Publisher: Cambridge University Press ISBN: 9781107629837 Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 329
Book Description
In The Archaeology of Lydia: From Gyges to Alexander, Christopher Roosevelt provides the first overview of the regional archaeology of Lydia in western Turkey, including much previously unpublished evidence as well as a fresh synthesis of the archaeology of Sardis, the ancient capital of the region. Combining data from regional surveys, stylistic analyses of artifacts in local museums, ancient texts, and environmental studies, he presents a new perspective on the archaeology of this area. To assess the importance of Lydian landscapes under Lydian and Achaemenid rule, roughly between the seventh and fourth centuries BCE, Roosevelt situates the archaeological evidence within frameworks established by evidence for ancient geography, environmental conditions, and resource availability and exploitation. Drawing on detailed and copiously illustrated evidence presented in a regionally organized catalogue, the book considers the significance of evidence of settlement and burial at Sardis and beyond for understanding Lydian society as a whole and the continuity of cultural traditions across the transition from Lydian to Achaemenid hegemony.
Author: Tim Leach Publisher: Atlantic Books ISBN: 0857899201 Category : Fiction Languages : en Pages : 305
Book Description
A defeated king stands on top of a pyre. His conqueror, the Persian ruler Cyrus, signals to his guards; they step forward and touch flaming torches to the dry wood. Croesus, once the wealthiest man of the ancient world, is to be burned alive. As he watches the flames catch, Croesus thinks back over his life. He remembers the time he asked the old Athenian philosopher, Solon, who was the happiest man in the world. Croesus used to think it was him. But then all his riches could not remove the spear from his dying elder son's chest; could not bring his mute younger son to speak; could not make him as wise as his own chief slave; could not bring his wife's love back; could not prevent his army from being torn apart and his kingdom lost. As the old philosopher had replied, a man's happiness can only be measured when he is dead. The first coils of smoke wrap around Croesus' neck like a noose...
Author: Andrew Ramage Publisher: Archaeological Exploration of Sardis ISBN: 9780674248557 Category : HISTORY Languages : en Pages : 570
Book Description
This publication of two major Lydian excavation sectors at Sardis is the first in-depth presentation of the architecture, pottery, and other artifacts belonging to the inhabitants of this native Anatolian kingdom. The two-volume book catalogues nearly 800 objects, illustrated by more than 300 color plates of photos and detailed drawings.
Author: Christopher John Ratté Publisher: ISBN: 9780674060609 Category : Architecture Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
This richly illustrated volume examines monuments of Sardis and environs in the context of contemporary developments in Lydia and throughout the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. It illuminates traditions of Anatolian kingship, technological exchange between Lydia and Greece and the Near East, and the origins of Persian imperial architecture.
Author: Arther Ferrill Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 0429975724 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 249
Book Description
When did war begin? Standard military accounts tend to start with the Graeco-Persian wars, laying undue emphasis on the preeminence of Greek heavy infantry. But, as this strikingly original and entertaining book shows, the origins of war can be traced back not to the Iron Age, or even to the Bronze Age, but to the emergence of settled life itself nearly 10,000 years ago. The military revolution that occurred then?the invention of major new weapons, the massive fortifications, the creation of strategy and tactics?ultimately gave rise to the great war machines of ancient Egypt, Assyria, and Persia that dominated the Near East until the time of Alexander the Great.It is Arther Ferrill's thesis that in the period before Alexander there were two independent lines of military development?a Near Eastern one culminating in the expert integration of cavalry, skirmishers, and light infantry and a Greek one based on heavy infantry. When Philip and Alexander blended the two traditions in their crack Macedonian army, the result was a style of warfare that continued, despite technological changes, down to Napoleon.This newly revised edition presents detailed and copiously illustrated accounts of all the major battles on land and sea up to the fourth century b.c., analyzes weapons from the sling to the catapult, and discusses ancient strategy and tactics, making this a book for armchair historians everywhere.
Author: Susa Young Gates Publisher: DigiCat ISBN: Category : Fiction Languages : en Pages : 74
Book Description
Counted as one of the first members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lydia Knight's life story is full of hardships and revelations. The plot introduces her as a broken-hearted young mother. Lydia gets invited to Joseph Smith and Syndey Rigdon and the church. It gave her renewed hope and strength. These qualities guided this faithful pioneer woman as she moved from one place to the next, many times driven by an angry mob.
Author: Charles River Charles River Editors
Author: Annick Payne
Author: Christopher H. Roosevelt
Author: Tim Leach
Author: Andrew Ramage
Author: Ilknur Özgen
Author: Charles Rollin
Author: Christopher John Ratté
Author: Arther Ferrill
Author: Susa Young Gates