Croesus (died 547 BC)

Last king of Lydia (in western Asia Minor) 560–547 BC. Famed for his wealth, he expanded Lydian power to its greatest extent, conquering all Anatolia west of the river Halys and entering alliances with Media, Egypt, and Sparta. He invaded Persia but was defeated by Cyrus (II) the Great. Lydia was subsequently absorbed into the Persian Empire.

When contemplating war with Persia, Croesus consulted the Delphic Oracle and received the famous response that he would ‘destroy a great empire’. He invaded but was beaten at Pteria. Retreating to Lydia, he dismissed many troops as he expected hostilities to pause for the winter, but Cyrus pursued immediately, won another battle outside the Lydian capital Sardis, and besieged it. When the city fell Croesus immolated himself on a funeral pyre.

Croesus

Opera by Reinhard Keiser (libretto by L von Bostel after the Italian of N Minato), first produced at the Theater beim Gänsemarkt, Hamburg, Germany, during Carnival in 1710. In the story, King Croesus battles against King Cyrus and loses. Croesus's mute son, Atis, now able to speak, returns to court and tests the fidelity of Elmira. About to execute Croesus, Cyrus has a change of heart. The happy ending is complete when Atis and Elmira are to marry.