 Mimnermus laments the degeneracy of the citizens of his day, who could no longer stem the Lydian advance.Finally, Alyattes (609–560 BC) conquered the city and sacked it, and though Smyrna did not cease to exist, the Greek life and political unity were destroyed, and the "polis" was reorganized on the village system.Smyrna is mentioned in a fragment of Pindar and in an inscription of 388 BC, but its greatness was past.