Middle East Kingdoms

Maeonia & Lydia
c.13th Century - 547 BC

Situated in south-west Asia Minor, Maeonia had been a territory within the Hittite Empire. As the empire collapsed, it became an independent Neo-Hittite kingdom. Independence didn't last for long, however, as it soon fell to the Heraclidae (the Mycenaean Greeks under Heracles) some time after they defeated Troy. Although Mycenaean civilisation disappeared from most of Greece following the Dorian invasions, Lydia survived with its capital at Sardis. Unfortunately, none of the kingdom's history is datable until the accession of Gyges in 685 BC.

Ephesus, a few kilometres from Sardis, near the coast, was later a major city in the Roman world, being an important centre for early Christianity, as well as home to a gladiator school.

1300s BC

The first Mycenaean Greek settlements are founded along the coastline of western Anatolia. Indo-European Hittite peoples still govern the territory however, probably from the state of Arzawa.

c.1200 BC

The weakened Hittite Empire is destroyed, and the former subjects of western Anatolia form a Neo-Hittite state called Maeonia.

Herodotus claims that colonists from this state land in Etruria around this time and become the Etruscans.

Atyad Kings of Maeonia / Maionia (Tantalids)

The information on Maeonia before the seventh century BC comes from sources such as Herodotus. He gives the founder and namesake of the kingdom, Manes, as the first king of Maeonia, with a son named Atys (Atyllus). Other sources, such as Strabo, name Tmolus and his son Tantalus as kings of the region at the same time, ruling from Sipylus (Mount Sipylus, near Manisa and Izmir in western Anatolia). As Omphale is shown as a member of both families, the probability is that they are identical (Atyllus and Tantalus are also close enough in pronunciation to support this view).

The region was part of the territory of the Hittite Empire, and its Indo-European Maeonian kings were Neo-Hittites who ruled independently after the empire collapsed. The rulers are all semi-legendary figures.

c.1200? BC

Manes / Tmolus

Founder of Maeonia. Gored to death by a bull.

c.1195 - 1173? BC

Omphale

Wife. Reigned after Manes' death.

c.1190? BC

Atys / Tantalus

Son of Tmolus and Plouto. m Dione.

? - c.1183 BC

Lydus / Broteas

Son. Went mad and threw himself into a fire.

d.c.1200 BC

Tantalus (of Pisa)

Son. m Clytemnestra & killed by Agamemnon of Mycenae.

c.1183 - 1100 BC

Maeonia becomes a Heraclid post-Mycenaean, Ionic colony after the defeat of Troy. It is unclear whether the new masters are part of the Ionian League or not, but it seems that Omphale still rules for a time (perhaps as a vassal?).

Following the collapse of Mycenaean civilisation in Greece by c.1140 BC, it seems that the Mycenaean settlers in Maeonia either take over or re-found the kingdom.

Heraclid Kings of Maeonia / Lydia (Tylonids)

Following the Mycenaean conquest of Troy, the descendants of semi-legendary Heracles eventually seem to have established the capital at Hyde. They were bordered by the Ionian League of city states to the west and Phrygia to the north-east. At some point up to the reign of Gyges in circa 685 BC Maeonia became Lydia after the last king of the previous dynasty. The change in the kingdom's name supports a level of social change in the region which could include the replacement of a Maeonian royal house for a Mycenaean one, or perhaps the Heraclids for the later Mermnads.

The Heraclids comprised of twenty-two kings who reigned for a total of 505 years, according to Herodotus. They were descended from a liaison between Omphale and Heracles (known as Tylon to the Lydians), although Herodotus suggests that the Lydian kings may not have descended from Omphale at all. Perhaps this was a later Mycenaean attempt at establishing the legitimacy of their rule.

Lydian warriors were famous archers by the sixth century BC who were known by the Israelites (Jeremiah 46:9) , and despite the Greek influences, their language remained Lydian, an Indo-European language related to Hittite, which finally became extinct during the first century BC.

c.1183 BC

Heracles / Herakles

Married Omphale, widow of Manes, but apparently didn't rule.

c.1183 - 1173 BC

In Greek mythology, Omphale is the ruler of Lydia, whom Heracles is required to serve for a period of time. During his time in Lydia Heracles enslaves the Itones, kills Syleus (who had been forcing passers-by to hoe his vineyard), and captures the Cercopes.

c.1160? BC

Alcaeus / Alkaios

Son. Later chroniclers named these three as kings of Lydia.

c.1140? BC

Belus / Belos

Son.

c. 1120? BC

Ninus / Ninos

Son.

c.1100? BC

Agron

Son. First Heraclid king of Lydia.

c.1100 - 795 BC

Seventeen unknown kings over 505 years, all succeeding each other in an unbroken line of descent.

795 - 759 BC

Ardys I / Ardysus I

Son of his predecessor.

759 - 745 BC

Alyattes I

Son.

745 - 733 BC

Meles / Myrsus

Son.

733 - 716 BC

Candaules / Myrsilus

Son. Murdered by former friend Gyges.

716 (685) BC

Gyges murders Candaules and usurps the kingdom, marrying Candaules' widow to cement his claim to the throne. From this point onwards, dates are calculated against those of Assyrian history.

Mermnad Kings of Lydia

From the reign of Gyges onwards the kingdom is fully historical. However, the dates for this dynasty have never been determined with certainty. The traditional dates are derived from Herodotus, who gives the lengths of  each king's reign; but these have been questioned by modern scholars on the basis of matching events with confirmed dates in Assyrian history. The dates calculated against Assyrian history are shown here, with the traditional dates in the notes.

Gyges founded a new capital at Sardis, a few miles further inland from Sipylus. Lydia is also noted as the birthplace of coinage in circa 660 BC.

c.685 - 644 BC

Gyges

(716-678 BC). Married Candaules' widow. Reigned 38 years.

c.644 - 615 BC

Ardys II / Ardysus II

(678-c.625 BC). Son. Reigned 49 years.

c.615 - 610 BC

Sadyattes

(629-617 BC). Son. Reigned 12 years.

c.610 - 560 BC

Alyattes II

(617-560 BC). Son. Reigned 57 years.

585 BC

Alyattes loses the Battle of the Eclipse to Media in a fifteen year war which is otherwise relatively evenly matched. Lydia expands in his reign to form an empire that covers all of western Anatolia.

560 - 547 BC

Croesus

(560-546 BC). Son. Reigned 14 years.

547 BC

Croesus is the source of 'Rich as Croesus'. He attacks the Persian Empire and is defeated. Lydia is absorbed into the empire.

334 BC

Lydia is conquered by Alexander the Great's Greek Empire.

323 - 320 BC

Lydia is governed by one of Alexander's generals, Menander.

320 BC

Lydia becomes part of the Greek Seleucid Empire (it is unclear whether Greater Phrygia or the Lysimachian Empire claim  it for any time during the Wars of the Diadochi (322-301 BC)).

c.180 BC

The Greek kingdom of Pergamum annexes Lydia around this point in time, after the Seleucids are defeated by Rome and Asia Minor is taken as a Roman province.

133 BC

Pergamum and Lydia become Roman provinces.