Croesus

[bjorn-are.davidsen@s.hk.telenor.no]

Thanks for interesting comments, Don! 

I understand very much how frustrating it can be to do a story on facts and not 
having a well stacked library of usefull info at hand! However, I think you 
indeed have been managing extremely well in all of your stories and VERY 
seldom  has done anything amounting to direct errors (like the Marco Polo 
thing). In fact, I am duly impressed by the way you mix detailed research and 
the delightfull fantasies on $crooge!  The reason why you get comments is 
exactly that you are a person worth making comments to: knowledgeable, 
thorough, and able to answer back! 

My own musings on this subjects was based on a vacation in the aerea 
some years ago, and a lot of general reading on the history of Asia Minor 
and adjacent areas. I have not any direct info in mind on the Artemis columns 
being used for the Cistern, my comments was (as mentioned) more in the 
area of a suggestion, based on probability. 

The relevance of the bin was also based on the storyline putting rather a lot 
emphasis on the bin and it's contents, and indirectly (or at least so to me!) 
pointing at the bin as major indicator of Croesus' wealth. And as it's rather 
obvious that the Lydian was not very much into modern global business 
getting revenues from production lines everywhere, it would be unfair to 
compare anything but their collected treasures. However, as that is just a 
(minor) part of $crooge's fortune, it will be (as we do agree upon!) impossible 
to make asessment of Croesus vs. $crooge from their bins. So the "first coin" 
twist was great!

Reg. Alexanders' tomb I may have goofed, as I just plain simple didn't 
remember it as being in GotLL! That's the problem when one doesn't have a 
well stacked Rosian library close to the computer in one's office and getting 
carried away by the lust for  treasure:-)
 BTW, have you read "Treasure" by Clive Cusstler, another story about 
discovering the Alexandrian treasure? Not very similar to your, though! And 
one could make a lot of comments on his use of "historical facts", and even 
geographical ones (like talking about the  "Northern coast of Sweden and 
Russia"...).

I'm looking forward to see the Gladstone Croesus with correct flags and text!

And hoping for more stories on fabulous treasures.
 
Bjorn Are