Strata: Exhibit Watch: King Midas and His Golden Touch

Everyone knows the story of King Midas and his golden touch. In Greco-Roman mythology, the Phrygian king Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. While it amazed Midas that everything he touched actually did turn to gold—from a twig to a husk of corn—he soon discovered just how reckless his request was, for he could not eat or drink anything but gold.

The historical King Midas inspired this character in Classical mythology. King Midas ruled over a group of people known as the Phrygians in central Anatolia (modern Turkey). It was during the reign of Midas (c. 750–700 B.C.E.) that Phrygia reached the height of its wealth and power. Indeed, archaeological excavations at Gordion, the capital of Phrygia, revealed a massive citadel complex and a series of wealthy tombs dating to the reign of Midas. At the end of the eighth century B.C.E., the citadel was destroyed in a major fire, possibly due to the invasion of the Cimmerians from the east.^a