Lydians

The Lydians were an Anatolian people living in Lydia, a region in western Anatolia, who spoke the distinctive Lydian language, an Indo-European language of the Anatolian group.

Questions raised regarding their origins, as defined by the language and reaching well into the 2nd millennium BC, continue to be debated by language historians and archeologists . A distinct Lydian culture lasted, in all probability, until at least shortly before the Common Era, having been attested the last time among extant records by Strabo in Kibyra in south-west Anatolia around his time (1st century BC).

The Lydian capital was at Sfard or Sardis. Their recorded history of statehood, which covers three dynasties traceable to the Late Bronze Age, reached the height of its power and achievements during the 7th and 6th centuries BC, a time which coincided with the demise of the power of neighboring Phrygia which lay to the north-east of Lydia.

Lydian power came to an abrupt end with the fall of their capital in events subsequent to the Battle of Halys in 585 BC and defeat by Cyrus the Great in 546 BC.

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The Lydian String Quartet and ‘Time's Echo Live’: An Interweaving of Narratives, Memories, and Shostakovich’s Music

The Harvard Crimson 10 Apr 2025
73,” interpreted by the renowned Lydian String Quartet ... Berger, a violist in the Lydian Quartet, noted that Eichler’s contextualization enriched the performance without being didactic.
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Sardis unveiled: Turkish House in NYC explores ancient Lydian capital

Daily Sabah 08 Apr 2025
Following the talks on Göbeklitepe, the Turkish House (Türkevi) in New York City hosted the second installment of the “Cradle of Civilizations” series, focusing on Sardis, the anci ....
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