HELIOS COLOSSUS OF THE RHODO-EGYPTIAN ALLIANCE Emailing: colossus.htm

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HELIOS COLOSSUS OF THE RHODO-EGYPTIAN ALLIANCE Emailing: colossus.htm

Sun, 23 Mar 2003 02:30:28 -0800

 

 

 

 

Painting © M. Larrinaga

To you, O Sun, the people of Dorian Rhodes set up this bronze statue reaching to

Olympus when they had pacified the waves of war and crowned their city with the

spoils taken from the enemy. Not only over the seas but also on land did they

kindle the lovely torch of freedom.

Dedicatory inscription of the Colossus

>From its building to its destruction lies a time span of merely 56 years. Yet

the colossus earned a place in the famous list of Wonders. "But even lying on

the ground, it is a marvel", said Pliny the Elder. The Colossus of Rhodes was

not only a gigantic statue. It was rather a symbol of unity of the people who

inhabited that beautiful Mediterranean island -- Rhodes.

Location

At the entrance of the harbor of the Mediterranean island of Rhodes in Greece.

History

Throughout most of its history, ancient Greece was comprised of city-states

which had limited power beyond their boundary. On the small island of Rhodes

were three of these: Ialysos, Kamiros, and Lindos. In 408 BC, the cities united

to form one territory, with a unified capital, Rhodes. The city thrived

commercially and had strong economic ties with their main ally, Ptolemy I Soter

of Egypt. In 305 BC, the Antigonids of Macedonia who were also rivals of the

Ptolemies, besieged Rhodes in an attempt to break the Rhodo-Egyptian alliance.

They could never penetrate the city. When a peace agreement was reached in 304

BC, the Antagonids lifted the siege, leaving a wealth of military equipment

behind. To celebrate their unity, the Rhodians sold the equipment and used the

money to erect an enormous statue of their sun god, Helios.

The construction of the Colossus took 12 years and was finished in 282 BC. For

years, the statue stood at the harbor entrance, until a strong earthquake hit

Rhodes about 226 BC. The city was badly damaged, and the Colossus was broken at

its weakest point -- the knee. The Rhodians received an immediate offer from

Ptolemy III Eurgetes of Egypt to cover all restoration costs for the toppled

monument. However, an oracle was consulted and forbade the re-erection.

Ptolemy's offer was declined.

For almost a millennium, the statue lay broken in ruins. In AD 654, the Arabs

invaded Rhodes. They disassembled the remains of the broken Colossus and sold

them to a Jew from Syria. It is said that the fragments had to be transported

to Syria on the backs of 900 camels.

Description

Let us first clear a misconception about the appearance of the Colossus. It has

long been believed that the Colossus stood in front of the Mandraki harbor, one

of many in the city of Rhodes, straddling its entrance. Given the height of the

statue and the width of the harbor mouth, this picture is rather impossible

than improbable. Moreover, the fallen Colossus would have blocked the harbor

entrance. Recent studies suggest that it was erected either on the eastern

promontory of the Mandraki harbor, or even further inland. Anyway, it did never

straddle the harbor entrance.

The project was commissioned by the Rhodian sculptor Chares of Lindos. To build

the statue, his workers cast the outer bronze skin parts. The base was made of

white marble, and the feet and ankle of the statue were first fixed. The

structure was gradually erected as the bronze form was fortified with an iron

and stone framework. To reach the higher parts, an earth ramp was built around

the statue and was later removed. When the colossus was finished, it stood

about 33 m (110 ft) high. And when it fell, "few people can make their arms

meet round the thumb", wrote Pliny.

Although we do not know the true shape and appearance of the Colossus, modern

reconstructions with the statue standing upright are more accurate than older

drawings. Although it disappeared from existence, the ancient World Wonder

inspired modern artists such as French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi best known by

his famous work: The Statue of Liberty.

pyramid

gardens

zeus

artemis

mausoleum

pharos

Note: The color painting at the top of the page is of artistic nature and does

not necessarily represent an accurate reconstruction of the Wonder. Painting by

Mario Larrinaga. Back to the Seven Wonders Home Page

Last modified Monday, April 10, 2000 1995, 1999, 2001 by Alaa K.

Ashmawy. All rights reserved.Feedback/Comments

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