Alyattes
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Alyattes, sometimes described as Alyattes I, was the fourth king of the Mermnad dynasty in Lydia, the son of Sadyattes, grandson of Ardys, and great-grandson of Gyges. He died after a reign of 57 year
Coin of Alyattes, c. 620/10 – 564/53 BC.
![Electrum trite, Alyattes, Lydia, 610–560 BC. (inscribed KUKALI[M])](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Electrum_trite%2C_Alyattes_II%2C_Lydia%2C_610-560_BC.jpg/500px-Electrum_trite%2C_Alyattes_II%2C_Lydia%2C_610-560_BC.jpg)
Electrum trite, Alyattes, Lydia, 610–560 BC. (inscribed KUKALI[M])
An Assyrian relief depicting Cimmerian mounted warriors
A relief depicting mounted Lydian warriors on slab of marble from a tomb.
Electrum
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Electrum is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, with trace amounts of copper and other metals. Its color ranges from pale to bright yellow, depending on the proportions of gold and silver.
Alyattes
…great-grandson of Gyges. He died after a reign of 57 years and was succeeded by his son Croesus. Alyattes was the first monarch who issued coins, made from electrum (and his successor Croesus was the first to issue gold coins). Alyattes is therefore sometimes mentioned as the originator of coinage, or of currency…
Natural electrum "wires" on quartz, historic specimen from the old Smuggler-Union Mine, Telluride, Colorado, USA
The Pactolus river, from which Lydia obtained electrum for its early coinage
Electrum Phoenician bowl with mythological scenes, a sphinx frieze and the representation of a king vanquishing his enemies, Cypro-Archaic I, from Idalion, 8th–7th centuries BC (Louvre, Paris)
Brooch with a griffin protome, from the necropolis of Kameiros, Rhodes, c. 625–600 BC (Louvre)