Frygs and Lidians – Hittite successors

Tribes of Frygs and Lidians came to Asia Minor from Trace and Macedonia, and from the Iliad Homer can be concluded, that already during the Trojan war (Xii w. p.n.e.) There were several Frygian centers in Anatolia, which filled the vacuum arose after the fall of the Hitticki Empire. However, the lush flourishing of Frygia as a uniform state came OK. VIII weIT. p.n.e., When King Midas ruled her many times, we can meet him as a hero of Greek mythology. At that time, Frygia reached into Cilicia on the Mediterranean Sea, Euphrates in the East and to the Aegean Sea in the West. The capital of the state was the city of Gordion (100 km west of Ankara), where a huge palace complex and many other wonderful buildings were built, whose remains can be admired to this day (Also one of the world's largest tumulus). At the beginning of VII in. p.n.e. Indo -European Kimmeri came here, leading to the fall of the power of the fry. They attacked and plundered Gordion and for the next few dozen years plundered the old lands of the Frygius state.

The liders took over the heirloom, who occupied lands in the western part of Asia Minor. Lidia began to count as a dominant political force in this region more or less since the rule of King Gyges (685 – 652 r. p.n.e.), who adopted extensive expansion plans. The Lidians wanted above all to control Greek colonies located on the Aegean Sea coast, But they defended themselves fiercely. Finally, the last King of Lidia (whose capital was SARDES), famous Krezus (560 – 546 r. p.n.e.), We managed to subordinate all Ionian cities, and only Milelet has retained complete independence under the agreement. Although Krezus raised the Lidian state to the heights of power (Although the first coins in the world began to be beaten here), but at the same time led to his fall. After success in the West, he decided to warn the Persian attack, who, after mastering the Medów state, lying between Lidia and Persia, They bordered with the Krezus state. Expedition with 546 r. p.n.e. has failed, And the King of Persia Cyrus, emboldened by this. The road to mastering Asia Minor was open to the Persians.