9. A prominent figure from Greek mythology, King Midas – granted the power to turn all he touched into gold – was likely an immeasurably wealthy ruler of Phrygia during the late-8th century BCE
Perhaps the most famous ruler from Greek mythology, King Midas reigned as a monarch of the ancient world and is commonly associated with the territory of Phrygia. Frequently depicted as the adopted son of King Gordias, Midas is possessed with an insatiable lust for wealth. Rescuing the satyr Silenus, according to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the young ruler asks in reward for the power to change all he touches into gold. Initially delighted in his newfound ability, Midas soon realized the damnation his greed has brought about. Unable to eat, and inadvertently murdering his beloved daughter, Midas is eventually offered mercy by the gods after repenting his avarice.
Despite the fantastical absurdity of the legendary and allegorical narrative, the individual of Midas himself was actually a real person from antiquity. A King of Phrygia and son of Gordian, dating from the late-8th century BCE, Midas married a Greek princess, Damodice, to expand his trading empire into Europe. Amassing a vast fortune, Midas, as referenced in Assyrian sources as well as those of the Greeks, soon became the envy of his neighbors and attracted undesirable attention. Attacked by the Cimmerians, it is believed Midas was compelled to commit suicide by drinking bull’s blood during the Sack of Gordium.