Possible Evidence of War Unearthed at Sardis

MANISA, TURKEY—Hurriyet Daily News reports that possible traces of the war between the Lydians and the Persians in 546 B.C. has been unearthed in what is known as the Palace region at Sardis, the ancient capital of the Lydian kingdom in western Turkey. Previous excavations in this area of the city have uncovered huge terrace walls that could have supported a monumental building, as well as a military shield, ivory from a piece of furniture, and a stone seal. “These pieces make our predictions stronger that this area was the field of a palace,” said lead archaeologist Nicholas Dunlop. Now, nearly 50 arrowheads have been found spread over different areas of the possible palace structure. “We also found pots, cooking bowls, and a piece of floor,” he added. “We found three arrowheads in this floor. These arrowheads might be from the last big war.” Historic records indicate the Lydian kingdom fell to the Persians after the 14-day attack. To read about a ritual deposit discovered at Sardis, go to “How to ward off an earthquake with Roman magic.”