Histories

Croesus was a Lydian by birth, son of Alyattes, and sovereign of all the nations west of the river Halys River (river), Turkey, Asia Halys, which flows from the south between Syria [38,35] (nation), Asia Syria and Paphlagonia (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Paphlagonia and empties into the sea called Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Euxine.

This Croesus was the first foreigner whom we know who subjugated some Greeks and took tribute from them, and won the friendship of others: the former being the Ionians, the Aeolians, and the Dorians of Asia (continent)Asia, and the latter the Lacedaemonians.

Before the reign of Croesus, all Greeks were free: for the Cimmerian host which invaded Ionia (region (general)), Europe Ionia before his time did not subjugate the cities, but raided and robbed them.

Now the sovereign power that belonged to the descendants of Heracles[*](Descendants of Heracles seems to mean descended from the Asiatic sun god identified with Heracles by the Greeks.) fell to the family of Croesus, called the Mermnadae, in the following way.