 Indeed, the invention of coinage had passed into Greek society through Hermodike II.Hermodike II was likely one of Alyettes’ wives so may have been Croesus’ mother because the bull imagery on the croeseid symbolises the Hellenic Zeus – see Europa (consort of Zeus).Zeus, through Hercules, was the divine forefather of his family line.The dynasty which preceded that of Croesus on the throne of Sardes traced their descent from Alcaeus, the son of Hercules by Omphale, Queen of Lydia, during her year of required servitude.