When King Croesus learned everything that had happened, he decided to take an important step. He sent messengers to the city of Sparta, also known as Lacedaemon. These messengers carried valuable gifts and had very clear instructions about what they must say. Croesus wanted to form a strong alliance with the Spartans, who were famous for their military strength and discipline.
When the messengers arrived in Sparta, they spoke carefully and respectfully. They said:
“Croesus, king of the Lydians and ruler of many other nations, sends us to you with this message. The god has commanded him to make the Greeks his friends. Therefore, he comes to you first, because you hold the highest rank among the Greeks. He wishes to become your true friend and loyal ally, in honesty and good faith The Cappadocians and Their Land.”
This message showed that Croesus respected both the gods and the Spartans. He believed that obeying the oracle and choosing powerful allies would protect his kingdom.
Sparta Accepts the Alliance
The Lacedaemonians were already aware of the oracle’s reply to Croesus. For this reason, they were very pleased when the messengers arrived. They welcomed them with joy and quickly agreed to the alliance. They took solemn oaths of friendship and loyalty with Croesus.
Their decision was made even easier because they already owed Croesus a debt of gratitude. On an earlier occasion, the Spartans had sent people to Sardis, the capital of Lydia, to buy gold. They wanted to use this gold to make a statue of the god Apollo. This statue still stands in the town of Thornax in Laconia. When Croesus heard about their purpose, he generously gave them all the gold they needed as a gift, without asking for payment.
Reasons for Spartan Loyalty
This generous act was one important reason why the Spartans were eager to support Croesus. Another reason was that Croesus had chosen them as his friends instead of any other Greek city. This made the Spartans feel honored and respected.
Because of this alliance, the Lacedaemonians promised to come to Croesus’s aid whenever he called for them. They did not stop there. To show their gratitude, they decided to send him a magnificent gift in return.
The Great Bronze Vase
The Spartans ordered the creation of a huge bronze vase. It was decorated with figures of animals all around its rim and was so large that it could hold three hundred amphorae of liquid. This impressive object was meant to thank Croesus for his kindness and to honor their alliance Ephesus Guides.
However, the vase never reached Sardis. What happened to it became a matter of dispute, and two different stories were told.
Two Stories About the Lost Vase
According to the Lacedaemonian version, the vase reached the island of Samos while on its journey. The Samians, learning about the valuable object, sailed out with their warships and seized it by force.
The Samians, however, told a different story. They claimed that the Spartans carrying the vase arrived too late. By that time, Sardis had already fallen, and Croesus was a prisoner. Seeing that their mission was useless, they sold the vase on Samos. The buyers, who were private citizens, later dedicated it to the shrine of the goddess Juno. The Samians suggested that the Spartans later claimed they had been robbed to avoid blame.
Thus, the true fate of the bronze vase remained uncertain, and the story ended with two opposing explanations.
