The thirst for hoarding has haunted mankind at all times. Gold, and with it another accompanying temptation - power - made outstanding personalities slaves of their own vices.The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, the lover of exquisite feasts Lucullus, the Persian king Cyrus II, the Lydian king Croesus, a tireless military leader and ancient businessman Crassus, the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen, the legendary ruler of Israel, Solomon ... Their treasuries were bursting with gold, but almost all of them gained fame not for wealth, but for deeds.As for gold, the same story has always been repeated: in at some point, it ceased to serve its owner, began to manage it itself and pushed the smartest people to reckless actions. Nebuchadnezzar died before natural death, for he lost his mind. Cyrus and Crassus died in pointless battles. Croesus sank into obscurity. Lucullus was undeservedly surrounded with contempt by his contemporaries, the greatest achievements of Solomon turned to dust after his death, and only Tutankhamen was posthumously glorified by the gold found in his tomb.On how the gigantic fortunes of antiquity were created, how they lived and what was left after their owners, this book tells.