Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/12/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]<http://photos.csd.net/croesus_stater.html> mouse over the image to view the reverse, click on the image for a enlargement The coin is 16.6 mm diameter, 8 gm mass, struck in the 6th century BC According to Herodotus, the Lydians were the first people to strike coins of silver and of gold. This coin is not quite the first issue of gold coins, by one brief preceding issue. Croesus was undecided about whether or not to go to war with the Persians as their king Cyrus was becoming a threat. As a test, he sent an envoy to each of the known oracles instructing the envoys on a certain date to all ask the same question, what he was doing at that time. The envoys did not know the answer, so this was a good test. The Delphic oracle and one other answered correctly, that Croesus was making turtle and lamb soup in a bronze cauldron. He bestowed lavish gifts on the successful oracles and then had asked the important question, whether or not he should go to war with Cyrus. The answer was that a great kingdom would fall if he did. He did go to war and a great kingdom fell, however, one must be careful of the phrasing of questions to oracles, and how to interpret their pronouncements. comments, etc welcome. John