#Real colossus of rhodes full#
Get a room full of people to name the Seven Wonders and most would name the Great Pyramid of Giza first. Then, check out these maps that show how ancient civilizations viewed the world.How the Pyramids of Giza were built remains a subject of debate – but it almost certainly wasn't built by slaves (Photo by Sipley/ClassicStock/Getty Images) Though it’s uncertain whether the statue will ever rise over Greece again, there’s no doubt that it looms large in human history.Īfter learning about the rise and fall of the Colossus of Rhodes, read about the other wonders of the ancient world. To people in modern times, it represents the glory days of the ancient world. Thirty years later, island officials suggested rebuilding the Colossus in celebration of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.Īttempts were made again in 20, with the latter plan suggesting a €250 million statue looming nearly 500 feet high.Įach ambitious plan, however, fizzled out into nothing.Īs such, the Colossus of Rhodes remains a wonder of the far distant past for now. In 1961, the island pondered an idea to rebuild the statue out of aluminum. Will This Lost Wonder Ever Be Rebuilt?Ĭolossus of Rhodes Project A 2015 proposal for rebuilding the statue suggested it stand almost 500 feet tall with its feet splayed over a harbor.ĭespite the Oracle of Delphi’s warnings, plans to rebuild the awe-inspiring Colossus of Rhodes have emerged over the last few decades. The raw materials were then sold to a Jewish merchant, who loaded them onto 900 camels and took them away forever. After storming the island, the caliph ordered the statue to be melted down. The Roman author Pliny the Elder even noted that the statue “excites our wonder and admiration” and raved about the size of its thumbs, which few men could “clasp in their arms.”īut then, in 654 A.D., the Colossus of Rhodes failed to impress Muslim caliph Muawiyah I. People still flocked to see the Colossus ruins for hundreds of years. So, the Colossus of Rhodes lay in ruins for centuries. Rhodians discussed rebuilding the statue - and their ally Ptolemy III of Egypt even offered to help with the project - but the Oracle of Delphi warned against it. The Colossus snapped at the knees - and immediately toppled to the ground. But then, in 226 B.C., a devastating earthquake hit Rhodes. Not only over the sea but also on land they set up the bright light of unfettered freedom.įor over 50 years, the stunning statue stood guard over the city. To you, Helios, yes to you the people of Dorian Rhodes raised this colossus high up to the heaven, after they had calmed the bronze wave of war, and crowned their country with spoils won from the enemy. Though its exact location is unfortunately lost to history, Greek poetry anthologies suggest that the following was inscribed at its base:
Often depicted as standing by the harbor, it’s possible that Chares built it further inland. Its bronze plates must have sparkled and danced in the sun, an appropriate homage to the sun-god that it portrayed. At times, workers had to scale steep ramps to work on the statue’s upper portion.īy 280 B.C., the 108-foot statue was towering over the city of Rhodes.
After laying a base of white marble for the statue’s feet - which likely stood together, and not over a bay entrance as it’s sometimes portrayed - workers built up an iron “skeleton,” which they affixed with bronze plates. Public Domain The Colossus of Rhodes likely stood with its feet together, and not straddling a bay as it’s often depicted.įor 12 years, workers toiled to build the Colossus of Rhodes. The Rise And Fall Of The Colossus Of Rhodes A student of the famous sculptor Lysippus, who had built a 50-foot statue of the god Zeus, Chares got to work around 292 B.C. Officials tapped Greek sculptor Chares of Lindos, another city on the island, to oversee their plan. Demetrius had helpfully left behind many military materials, which the Rhodians were able to sell in order to fund their new venture. To celebrate, they decided to erect a statue of the sun-god Helios. And after a 12-month campaign, the so-called “Besieger of Cities” decided to abandon his efforts - much to the delight of Rhodes’ citizens. Its success soon drew the attention of Antigonus I, a successor of Alexander the Great, who sent his son Demetrius I Poliorcetes to attack the city.īut Demetrius succeeded only in laying siege to Rhodes. Historical Picture Archive/Corbis via Getty Images A depiction of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.īy 305 B.C., the city of Rhodes - located on the Greek island of the same name - was thriving as a prosperous trading port.
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