Lydia

Lydia (Ancient Greek: Λυδία, romanized: Ludía; Latin: Lȳdia) was a powerful Iron Age civilization prominent in western Anatolia in the 8th to 6th centuries BCE. Its capital and only city at Sardis. They are known in part for the world's first coinage, and rapid expansion based on their immense wealth in gold. They established cultural, economic, military, and diplomatic relations with the Greeks to their west, and the Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Phrygians, and others to the east and south. The Lydian civilization had their own Indo-European language and an independent religious system. Their capital, Sardis, is known for its layout and architectural design; its terracing method influenced the planning of other multi-level cities. The ancient burial mounds at Bin Tepe are among the largest on Earth. At some point before 800 BC, the Lydian people achieved a certain level of political cohesion, and existed as an independent kingdom by the 600s BC. At its greatest extent, during the 7th century BC, it covered all of western Anatolia. In 546 BC, it became a satrapy of the Achaemenid Empire, known as Sparda in Old Persian. In 133 BC, it became part of the Roman province of Asia. Lydian coins, made of electrum, are among the oldest in existence, dated to around the 7th century BC.