Battle of Thymbra
546 BCE · Thymbra, Lydia (modern Turkey)
The Battle of Thymbra was fought in 546 BCE in Thymbra, Lydia (modern Turkey) between Achaemenid Persian Empire vs the Kingdom of Lydia; decisive Persian victory; Lydia was annexed and Croesus captured at Sardis.
Battle of Thymbra: quick facts
- Date
- 546 BCE
- Location
- Thymbra, Lydia (modern Turkey)
- Belligerents
- Achaemenid Persian Empire vs the Kingdom of Lydia
- Commanders
- Cyrus the Great vs Croesus
- Result
- decisive Persian victory; Lydia was annexed and Croesus captured at Sardis.
- Era
- 🏛️ Ancient Egypt & Mesopotamia
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Thymbra?
Cyrus the Great of Persia faced King Croesus of Lydia, one of the wealthiest rulers of the ancient world, on the plain of Thymbra near the Lydian capital of Sardis. Cyrus placed camels at the front of his formation, knowing that their unfamiliar scent would panic the Lydian horses. The tactic worked brilliantly, throwing the feared Lydian cavalry into chaos. Croesus retreated to Sardis, which fell after a brief siege. According to Herodotus, Croesus had consulted the Oracle at Delphi before the war and was told that if he attacked Persia, he would destroy a great empire. The empire destroyed was his own.
Did you know?
King Croesus of Lydia is credited with inventing the first standardized gold and silver coins. His proverbial wealth gave rise to the expression 'rich as Croesus.'
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Thymbra on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.