Croesus
King of Lydia
"No one is so foolish as to prefer war to peace, in which, instead of sons burying their fathers, fathers bury their sons."โ Herodotus, Histories
Biography
Croesus was the King of Lydia from 560 to 546 BC. He was renowned for his immense wealth and is credited with issuing the first true gold coins with a standardized purity.
Misinterpreting the Oracle of Delphi's prophecy that if he attacked Persia, 'a great empire will fall,' he launched a war against Cyrus the Great.
The empire that fell was his own. After his defeat at Sardis, Lydia was annexed by Persia, marking the end of his dynasty.