Croesus: The Richest King of the Ancient World

Croesus was the last king of Lydia and one of the most famous rulers of the ancient world. Reigning in the sixth century BCE from his capital at Sardis in western Anatolia, he became legendary for his extraordinary wealth. Lydia's access to rich gold deposits and its sophisticated monetary economy helped create the reputation that would follow Croesus for thousands of years. His name became so closely associated with riches that the expression “rich as Croesus” survived long after his kingdom disappeared