Mermnad dynasty

ancient Lydia

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June 30, 2026

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The Mermnad dynasty ruled ancient Lydia, a region in western Anatolia that extended from the Aegean Sea. The Lydians are credited with inventing gold and silver coins, which significantly impacted Greek civilization in the 6th century BCE.1

The Mermnad dynasty was established by King Gyges in the 7th century BCE, following the destruction of Phrygia by the Cimmerians. The kingdom reached its peak under King Alyattes, who expanded Lydian rule into Ionia. His son, Croesus, known for his immense wealth, continued to expand the kingdom. However, the Mermnad dynasty's rule came to an end around 546–540 BCE when the Persian king Cyrus the Great conquered Lydia. The Lydians were a commercial people known for establishing permanent retail shops.12

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Gyges
…652 bc; he founded the Mermnad dynasty and made his kingdom a military power.
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…652 bc; he founded the Mermnad dynasty and made his kingdom a military power.
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Croesus
Mermnad dynasty, Croesus succeeded to the throne of his father, Alyattes, after a struggle with his half brother. Croesus is said to have acted as viceroy and commander in chief before his father’s death. He completed the conquest of mainland Ionia by capturing Ephesus and…
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Mermnad dynasty, Croesus succeeded to the throne of his father, Alyattes, after a struggle with his half brother. Croesus is said to have acted as viceroy and commander in chief before his father’s death. He completed the conquest of mainland Ionia by capturing Ephesus and…
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Anatolia
The Cimmerians, Lydia, and Cilicia, c. 700–547 bce
…the 7th century were the Mermnads, founded by Gyges (c. 680–652). The presence of Greek pottery in early layers at Sardis testifies to Lydian contact with the Greeks in that period. The Lydian language is classified in the Anatolian branch of Indo-European and resembled Hittite, Luwian, and Palaic.
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…the 7th century were the Mermnads, founded by Gyges (c. 680–652). The presence of Greek pottery in early layers at Sardis testifies to Lydian contact with the Greeks in that period. The Lydian language is classified in the Anatolian branch of Indo-European and resembled Hittite, Luwian, and Palaic.
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