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SYDNOR ROY

Texas Tech University

Alyattes was the fourth Mermnad king of LYDIA, the son of SADYATTES and father of CROESUS. During his reign—probably in the late seventh/early sixth century BCE (Eder and Renger 2007, 86–90)—he drove the CIMMERIANS out of ASIA, captured the Greek city of SMYRNA, and attacked but failed to capture the Greek city of CLAZOMENAE. He fought wars with the MEDES under CYAXARES and with MILETUS under THRASYBULUS, both of which resulted in peace settlements. Under Alyattes, the Lydian Empire attained standing and stability.

Alyattes’ war with Miletus, which he inherited from his father in its seventh year, lasted for five more years (1.17–22). He did not engage in SIEGE WARFARE, because of the Milesians’ superior naval ability. Instead, he conducted annual raids on Milesian territory and burned their crops. In the twelfth year of the war, the temple of ATHENA of ASSESUS caught FIRE and burned to the ground during Alyattes’ annual raid. Afterwards, Alyattes fell ill and consulted the PYTHIA at DELPHI for advice on his illness. The Pythia refused his emissaries entry until the temple to Athena was rebuilt. Alyattes then sent an envoy seeking a truce with the Milesians so he could fulfill this requirement. Thrasybulus, forewarned by PERIANDER about the nature of the Pythia’s demand of Alyattes, ordered the Milesians to put on a great FESTIVAL to coincide with the visit of Alyattes’ HERALD. When Alyattes learned of the Milesians’ apparent luxury, he ended the war, built two TEMPLES to Athena, and recovered. He then dedicated a large SILVER bowl and IRON stand at Delphi, making him the second of his line to leave offerings there. The iron stand is also described by the Roman‐era authors Pausanias (10.16.1–2) and Athenaeus (5.210b–c).

The war between the Lydians under Alyattes and the Medes under Cyaxares lasted five years (1.74). When a solar ECLIPSE (predicted by THALES, perhaps corresponding to one occurring in May 585) occurred during one of their battles in the fifth year, both sides decided to arrange a peace, brokered by SYENNESIS of CILICIA and LABYNETUS of BABYLON. The latter of these has been identified with Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, whom Cyrus will depose. To cement the alliance, Alyattes’ daughter ARYENIS married Cyaxares’ son ASTYAGES, the next king of the Medes. This MARRIAGE serves as one of Croesus’ motivations for attacking the Persians after the Persians had taken Media.

Alyattes’ tomb is one of the few wonders of Lydia (1.93). Herodotus claims that it was built by traders, artisans, and prostitutes, and that the prostitutes were the greatest contributors. The tomb has been identified as one of the tumuli at Bin Tepe, north of SARDIS (modern day Sart, Turkey), and is one of the largest in the world.

One curious mention of Alyattes comes in Book 3 of the Histories. When Periander was TYRANT in CORINTH, he sent three hundred sons of leading Corcyraeans to Alyattes to be castrated. The Samians prevented this from happening (3.48). Diogenes Laertius repeats the story (1.94).

SEE ALSO: Allies; Burial Customs; Disease; Mermnadae; Near Eastern History; Prostitution; thōmata