The Colossus of Rhodes

ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD

The Town of Rhodes was created at the Northeast of the island in 408 BC by the union of the three towns of the island, Ialiso, Kamiro and Lindo.

In Ancient Rhodes – the beauty of the Greek Towns – as the Historians call it, prytaneums, markets, arcades, stadiums, music schools, philosophical and rhetorical schools, five large ports and at least 3.000statues existed.

The masterpiece of all was the colossus. It was created around 293 by Hari from Lindo,who was a student of Lysippou. It was a massive brass statue of the patron saint God Iliou (Sun), approximately 31meters high. The inhabitants of Rhodes sold (300talanda) the besieger machines of Dimitriou when he ceased the siege and left defeated then they made the statue, the construction of which remained for 12 years. The statue has been a topic of conversation for ancient people and also medieval writers. It remained in its position for 66 years and collapsed in the earthquake of 227 yet they didn’t re erect it due to their fear of some prophesy as Stravonas mentions. For 9 centuries the colossus was not re erected until 653AC when the Arabian caliph Moavias took it and sold it to a Jew from Edessa, for the brass, he needed 900 camels to transport it.

The problem that occupies modern researchers is of were the Colossus use to stand. Misunderstanding a phrase of the epigram engraved on the base of the colossus, they said that it was positioned “not only over the ocean but also on the land” they imagined that it was positioned at the entrance of the port with its limbs open standing with one leg on the one edge of the port and with the other leg on the opposite edge of the port, while holding in its hand high up a light like a lighthouse for the ships that went past to enter the port. From the 16th century such an engraving was presented and lasts until today. 

Modern researchers believe that it was impossible for it to be positioned close to the sea and conclude that the only place that it could have been standing was the grounds of a temple and the most probable at the temple of the God Ilios (Sun) were the palace of the Grand Master of Knights is located today. A beautiful marble head of God Ilios (Sun) with broken beams that today is located in the Museum of Rhodes was found nearby. Also in the way that Stravonas describes it, it shows clearly that he saw it on land “It is now broken from the knees and fell due to the earthquake”. If it was positioned over the sea it would have been lost completely or only a part would show, something that the writer would have mentioned.

The Colossus of Rhodes was an hymn to Art and Freedom.

THE COLUSSUS OF RHODES