History

The Ancient Brother of the Statue of Liberty in New York

The Story of the Ancient Statue of Rhodes — The Colossus

We easily brag about our modern-day architecture and quickly forget our ancestors` great achievements which were built without the tools and equipment of modern technology. Here is the story of the Statue of Rhodes which was no less glamorous than the modern-day`s Statue of Liberty in New York.

Ancient Greek Mythology says that Zeus specially created Rhodes for Helios, the Sun God, one of the Titans.

The famous Statue of Rhodes, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, unfortunately, does not exist today and lives only in memories. It was erected for a full year in 304–305 BC to commemorate the victory over the strong army of Demetrius in Rhodes. Demetrius was the son of Antigonus I Monophthalmus, one of the three generals who divided the great empire which Alexander the Great founded until his death at the age of 32.

The Rhodesians were saved from the siege with the naval support of Ptolemy I, one of Alexander’s three generals, sent from Egypt. It is said that at the end of the siege, Demetrius, who left behind the great siege towers and war equipment, suggested erecting a victory monument. These war equipment were specially designed to besiege Rhodes — they were very large equipment. Thus, Colussus was built with the income obtained from the sale of these siege towers.

During this one-year siege, Demetrius’ navy beat Rhodes Castle and the city with stones larger than a basketball thrown by catapults. Those who visit Rhodes today will still see thousands of these stones in many parts of the island, either randomly scattered around or used for decoration purposes in the city.

It took 12 years to build the Statue of Rhodes and was completed by a master named Chares of Lindos. Chares was an expert in building large statues and received his training from his master Lysippos, who built the famous Statue of Zeus in Tarentum, Athens.

And the Colossus stood for 54 years. It inspired people with its glory until it was broken in 226 BC in the knee and collapsed by the great earthquake that shook the Aegean Sea. In this great earthquake, not only the Statue of Rhodes was destroyed, but the city of Rhodes was also in ruins.

Although the Rhodesians received an offer of help for the restoration from Pharaoh Ptolemy III Eurgetes, they rejected the offer of help after the Delphi Oracle’s warning that the Sun God Helios should not be angered.

According to the famous historian Strabo, the statue remained in ruins for almost 900 years. In 654 AC, the Arabs conquered Rhodes. They sold what was left of the statue to a Syrian Jew. It is said that this merchant carried this heavy and great load with 900 camels. No one has seen the statue since then.

This imposing victory monument was a 30-meter-high statue made of bronze and stone. Ships used to enter the port between the legs of the massive statue of the Sun God Helios, located at the entrance of the Rhodes Harbor, and the fire on its head served as a lighthouse for the sailors.

It is still unknown whether the statue lies deep in the sea off the Port of Rhodes. It has recently been determined that the large stone platforms found off the harbor are not related to the sculpture. It is also possible that the statue is in the city and its parts are used to build the city and the houses inside it. Regardless of various stories, historical records prove the existence of the Statue of Rhodes.

Considering that it was built 2,300 years ago, this colossal statue can rival today’s Statue of Liberty in New York. Considering the technology of those days, it was a tremendous achievement.

What is the takeaway from this story that you could find on any other website?

• Nothing lasts forever. Even the strong memories of victories can fade away through generations. Don`t brag about your victories. The only true victory is the conquest of the hearts by the acts of goodness, righteousness, kindness, and fairness.
• Leave a legacy in the hearts and minds of others rather than building monuments made of stone. The only true legacy is your positive influence on others and the world, which originates from a string and true character without shadows.

With love,

Kenan