Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Who is not tempted by gold. This shiny object can make its owner very rich. However, what would happen if there was someone who could turn anything into gold?

He was King Midas, who is known as a legendary ruler whose magical power could turn ordinary objects into gold. Initially this story was only ancient mythology from the Greek era. However, various contemporary studies have succeeded in revealing something new: that King Midas really existed.

Mandraguna Sakti

Midas was the King of Pessinus, an ancient city in Greece which is now in Türkiye. In Greek mythology, he is known to have extraordinary magical abilities. This power can turn everything it touches into pure gold. This was told by the poet Publius Ovidius Naso in his monumental work, Metamorphoses XI.

Quotes exposure Greek, Ovidius tells that Midas obtained his powers from the Greek god Dionysus. Once upon a time, Dionysus had a teacher who was like a father named Silenus who got lost. On the way, Midas helped and provided protection for Silenus to stay in the palace.

In fact, at the Palace, Midas provided entertainment and emphasized Silenus' presence. When this news reached Dionysus, the Greek god offered Midas whatever reward he desired.

At this point, Midas asked for supernatural powers so he could turn anything into gold. We certainly know the story after that. In various places Midas tested this power. He touched a tree branch which instantly turned gold. He held a stone, but it immediately turned to gold.

This supernatural power then made Midas very happy. He immediately held a luxurious party at the palace and invited many people. However, when the party took place, Midas regretted his supernatural powers.

Because the party was ruined because every object he touched turned to gold. Drinks, food, bottles, and even plates turn gold. In fact, he also disappointed his own child because his child's gift suddenly turned into gold.

At this point, he admitted that he regretted the gift of magical powers from Dionysus. He also asked for a normal life. However, all of that cannot be repeated. Midas had to live like that until the end of his life.

This story stops here. After that, there were recurring legends about the supernatural powers of someone who turned anything into a valuable item.

Proven to exist

Of course, many people think Midas wasn't real. However, the fact is the opposite. Contemporary research in 2020 surprisingly broke King Midas' existence for hundreds of years.

Quote LiveScience, a research team from the University of Chicago said they had found inscriptions showing traces of King Midas' presence in the world. This inscription found in Southern Turkey was written in Luwian, which consists of original ancient Turkish symbols.

Its contents tell about the ancient kingdom that defeated Phrygia, ruled by King Midas. In historical records, Phrygia was the territory of King Midas.

“The Phrygian king Midas is mentioned in several ancient sources. […] The Assyrians considered him the strongest king and main rival during their territorial expansion in the 8th century BC,” said Professor Lynn Roller from the University of California told BBC International, quoted Friday (14/6/2024).

Apart from that, regarding the existence of gold in the area, the research team also found valid evidence. The team several times found jewelry, gold coins and sphinc carvings. They suspect that if there was a large amount of gold in Phrygia, it may have been looted or still hidden in mysterious tombs.

At this point, the existence of King Midas is confirmed to exist. However, archaeologists still doubt the authenticity of the legend of King Midas' gold.

“Under Midas' rule, Gordion became rich and powerful. The story becomes a metaphor for someone who is very rich. […] “The “golden touch” is the way people think King Midas could achieve wealth at a young age,” said Roller.

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