Cheops pyramid, lighthouse of Alexandria, the temple of Artemis,… You probably know these heritage gems as part of the Seven Wonders of the World . I invite you to discover one of the most mysterious, the Colossus of Rhodes. Through this article, I invite you to discover the intriguing history of the Colossus of Rhodes .
The island of Rhodes is under siege
The welcome was most impressive when we arrived at the port of the island of Rhodes . A colossus 31 meters high awaited the navigators, it is the Colossus of Rhodes. To learn more about this statue of exceptional dimensions for the time, it is important to take a closer look at The History of the Island of Rhodes . The Greek archipelago lives in peace and prosperity. The calm before the storm ! Demetrios, son of Antigone le Borgne – former general of the famous Alexander the Great and founder of the Antigonides – decides to besiege the island of Rhodes in 305-304 BC. The siege of Rhodes, which lasted almost a year, is one of the most famous of Antiquity, in particular by the scale of the means put in place. War machines, nearly 400 ships, and more than 40,000 men , Demetrios put everything in place to succeed in his siege. All these means deployed are enough to impress the Rhodians, who nevertheless hold the siege week after week. Despite the use of gigantic war machines such as helepolis, the archipelago holds firm, Rhodes does not give in.
While his father calls him to lead a fight in Greece, Demetrios is asked to leave Rhodes. He then decides to put an end to the siege and conclude a treaty with the inhabitants of Rhodes . The island then undertakes to become Antigone's ally and to fight alongside her in the event of an invasion. The only exception to this agreement concerns Ptolemy, already an ally of the Rhodians. Even if Demetrios does not emerge victorious from this seat , he received the nickname Poliorcetes which means “city taker”.
The Colossus of Rhodes, a commemorative statue
A colossus of extraordinary dimensions
On the side of the Rhodians, the discourse is totally different. They want to commemorate their resistance to this invader by building a statue of extraordinary dimensions , the famous Colossus of Rhodes, the sixth wonder of the world. This type of construction is anchored in the Greek tradition. On the other hand, the inhabitants of Rhodes stand out for the scale of the project. In its day, the Colossus of Rhodes happened to be the tallest statue it could exist.
A late construction
It was in 292 BC that the Colossus of Rhodes began to be built on the port of Rhodes. This pharaonic project is a real will of the Rhodians - it is important to remember that at that time, the island of Rhodes is a democracy , so it was the people who wanted it built. Why did the inhabitants of Rhodes wait so long to initiate the construction of the Colossus of Rhodes? When the Colossus begins to rise, 12 years have already passed since the seat of Demetrios . Although the Rhodians are keen to commemorate their victory, recovering from the siege is not easy. For 1 year, the island of Rhodes suffered very serious damage, and commercial activity came to a complete halt. Before starting any construction, it is necessary to repair everything and regain the prosperity of yesteryear.
Funding and construction method of the Colossus of Rhodes
To build this important masterpiece that is the Colossus of Rhodes, the inhabitants sold all the weapons and war machines left behind by Demetrios during the siege. This funding made it possible to acquire the necessary bronze . The Colossus of Rhodes consists of a wooden skeleton, covered with bronze plates. Many historians question these data concerning the construction. Such dimensions taking on a simple wooden skeleton seem simply impossible to them. Yet it is this method that earned the Colossus of Rhodes its place as the Sixth Wonder of the World . Even if its method of construction and the materials used still remain somewhat mysterious, we know very well the name of its builder. This is Charès of Lindos, a Greek sculptor. His life is little known, but his style is renowned throughout the world. Charès de Lindos is a follower of realism. The texts tell us that the Colossus of Rhodes would represent Helios , the god of the sun and protector of the island of Rhodes. Every day, Helios rode on his chariot and headed towards the sun to illuminate it, and thus give way to daylight.
Where was the Colossus of Rhodes located?
Speaking of place, multiple hypotheses have been made about the location of the Colossus of Rhodes. On many depictions, you will be able to see the Colossus of Rhodes at the entrance to the port of Rhodes, with the boats passing under its legs. But this hypothesis is not viable , the dimensions seem too small compared to the necessary spacing.
Two hypotheses seem more probable concerning the location of the Colossus of Rhodes. Some historians agree that the colossus was built on the heights of the island , not far from the acropolis. The Colossus of Rhodes watching over the archipelago and its inhabitants. Other historians, such as the famous architect Wolfram Hoepfner, place the statue at the military port of Rhodes. However, the location remains a great mystery at present , and let the imagination play its role.
The Colossus of Rhodes, a wonder of the world with the shortest history
The reasons for its destruction
For more than 60 years, the Colossus of Rhodes has made the archipelago famous and the pride of its inhabitants . It represents both their victory in the siege of Demetrios, the freedom of the island, their ability to recover from difficult military trials like this, as well as the technical prowess of construction to erect this statue of 31 meters in height. height.
Around 227-226 BC, an earthquake upset the daily life of the Rhodians. The tremors weakened the Colossus of Rhodes at the knees, causing it to fall completely . We can well imagine the terror of all the inhabitants when they discover the Colossus on the ground. This is the shortest story for one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The wood of the skeleton and the bronze plates then lie on the ground. But an oracle demands that the inhabitants leave the heap as it is and drop the idea of rebuilding the Colossus of Rhodes .
What happened to the Colossus of Rhodes, Sixth Wonder of the World?
The destroyed Colossus of Rhodes will remain in place for several centuries. It was not until 654 AD, during an Arab expedition led by Muʿawiya I, lieutenant of Caliph Othmân ibn Afân, that things changed. He decides to take what remains of the Colossus of Rhodes, in order to sell the remaining bronze and iron – the wood having been destroyed over time. The remains would therefore have been sent to Syria.