This continued for years and completion finally happened after 12 years. After fixing the crown and the final touches were done, the surrounding earth was then removed to reveal the tallest and most spectacular statue of the time that stood and overlooked the bay area.
After it stood strong and tall for around 56 years, the statue was shattered into pieces because of an earthquake that hit the island in B. This fell to the ground and laid there in pieces for several hundreds of years. The Rhodians refused though as they believed that god Helios being angered by the construction of the statue. In result, he was the one who caused the earthquake that destroyed it. So, no one else attempted constructing it again.
Since no one used the remains of the statue or tried reconstructing it, the broken pieces of the Colossus made from bronze stayed there for almost years. Some tourists visited the site all these years. But, then Arab traders arrived on the island in A. They took and started trading the broken pieces of bronze. The metal scraps were brought to and sold in the trading markets.
Sadly, the huge and tall Colossus of Rhodes that symbolized victory and unity only ended up in the trade market for metal scraps. But, despite the destruction of the statue with its remains no longer found these days, one thing remains certain — this unique ancient work of art will remain to be a true work of a genius.
Nowadays, a collective initiative of young european archeologists, architects and civil engineers has proposed to build a modern version of the statue, considering 21st century standards. The aim of this project is not to rebuilt the original copy of the 40 meters high bronze structure.
But to stir the same emotions that guests felt, more than years ago. So, this version of Colossus would be five times taller than the original. Also, it would host a exhibition hall, a library and a cultural museum as well as serve a lighthouse! Did you find this article interesting? Do not hesitate to drop down your thoughts in the comments below. Also, do you you believe it is worth the time and effort to read?
The 32 metre ft -high depiction of the Greek sun-god Helios was erected as part of a celebration marking the successful defence of Rhodes against its Macedonian neighbours. Weapons and military supplies dumped by fleeing soldiers were later sold and funded the year super-build. The tallest statue of the ancient world gained admirers from far and wide before it was toppled by an earthquake around BC. When the earthquake shook the island, the bronze figure broke at the knees.
Although funds were offered for its repair, the Rhodians refused the help as an oracle advised against it. Visitors marvelled at the ruins of the mammoth tribute for centuries. It was said that few men could clasp Helios's thumb in their arms and it seemed as though many people tried.
When Umayyad Muslims conquered Rhodes in AD , the invaders sent the valuable remains to Syria with the help of over camels. Historians struggle to agree on the position of Rhodes' most famous statue. One theory suggests Helios stood with his legs apart for ships to pass underneath at Mandraki Harbour, while others argue that the Colossus was built inland at the Acropolis of Rhodes where it overlooked the port.
In a team of architects kickstarted a project to rebuild the ancient wonder, but five times higher than the original. See also: Standing tall: Egypt's Great Pyramids. Although the Pharos of Alexandria, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus have fallen into ruin, archaeology and historical accounts provide some idea of their appearance. Not so with the Colossus. Like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon which some say never existed , the exact appearance of the Colossus that towered over the port of Rhodes is a mystery.
Toppled by an earthquake around B. Historians have very little information as to what the structure looked like, where it stood, and how it was built. This vacuum has filled with much speculation and artistic license, but certain clues have helped researchers piece together credible theories about this marvelous structure.
Luckily for historians, why the Colossus was built is easily found in the historical record. First-century B. In B. The city, also called Rhodes, grew prosperous through trade and built up strong commercial and diplomatic relationships with other Mediterranean powers. Rhodes lies along the southeastern rim of the Aegean Islands. Its port, also named Rhodes, is located on the northern tip.
At the time the Colossus was built, the port was an important stop on the trade routes linking Greek cities in Asia Minor—such as Miletus—with the wealth of Egypt, ruled by the Greek Ptolemies.
In the third century B. Rhodes had close links with Alexandria, founded a century before by Alexander the Great. At the end of the fourth century B. Formidable sailors and skilled diplomats, the Rhodians would not renounce their ties with the Egyptians. Antigonus did his utmost to persuade them to take his side, and when they refused, he decided to use force. Antigonus sent his son Demetrius to subdue Rhodes in B. Protected by metal plates and armed with catapults, this fearsome weapon failed to bring victory to Demetrius.
Rhodes stood strong, and Demetrius withdrew after an unsuccessful, yearlong siege. Rhodes and Macedonia agreed that the Rhodians would back Antigonus against his enemies except Ptolemy. In exchange, they would remain politically and economically autonomous. In gratitude for withstanding the siege, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to build an extraordinary statue in honor of Helios. In Greek mythology, Helios was one of the Titans, the gods who ruled over Greece before the Olympians.
Lord of the sun, Helios drove his chariot across the sky each day. The island of Rhodes was sacred to him, and he its patron deity. To build the massive statue, Rhodes needed bronze, and a lot of it.
Chares of Lindos, a Rhodian sculptor, was commissioned to construct the monument. Respected across the Greek world, he was a pupil of the famous sculptor Lysippus, a favorite artist of Alexander the Great. Chares may have conceived his commission with a great statue of Zeus in mind: Sculpted by Phidias for the temple of Zeus at Olympia, this statue was massive, described as being seven times larger than life. The city was badly damaged, and the Colossus was broken at its weakest point - the knee.
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 , 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 camels. Let us clear a misconception about the appearance of the Colossus. It has long been believed that the Colossus stood in front of the Mandraki harbour , one of many in the city of Rhodes, straddling its entrance.
Given the height of the statue and the width of the harbour 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 harbour, or even further inland. In any case, it never straddled the harbor entrance. Although we do not know the true shape and appearance of the Colossus of Rhodes, 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' in New York. Today, the Colossus is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a masterpiece of art and engineering. Helios was the god of the Sun, offspring of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. While it was not specifically the subject of a widespread cult across Greece, many people, including Socrates, would greet the Sun and offer prayers each day, as we are informed by Plato's Symposium and other works.
0コメント