Four Ancient Wonders of the World: History and Legacy

Introduction to the Ancient Wonders

The classical era in history saw the construction of some of the most remarkable structures the world has ever seen. Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, four structures stand out and are the focus of this discussion: the Colossus of Rhodes, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the Statue of Zeus at Olympia.

During the period of classical antiquity, and particularly the first and second centuries BC, several extraordinary built environments were constructed that have fascinated people across the ages. The classical period is most often associated with the land around the Mediterranean Sea, which encompassed the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. The Greco-Roman cultures flourished during the classical era and influenced societies in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa (D'Epiro & Pinkowish).

The Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes represents the highest achievement of Greek engineering in sculptural form, and it is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The operative word is colossus: the sculpture was a 98.4-foot-tall metallic depiction of the Greek sun god Helios (D'Epiro & Pinkowish). Located near the Mandraki Harbor in Rhodes, the Colossus marked the way for ships as they entered and left the harbor (D'Epiro & Pinkowish). As ancient constructions often did, this enormous sculpture — designed and built by Chares of Lindos — commemorated a battle. Demetrius I of Cyprus led a massive invasion that was repelled by the Greeks, and it was this victory that the Colossus marks (D'Epiro & Pinkowish). Ironically, the metal used to construct the Colossus came from the spoils of war — specifically from the Cypriot war fleet that had been abandoned (D'Epiro & Pinkowish). Stone was taken from a siege tower to serve as scaffolding, and metal from combat equipment was smelted and reforged to build the sculpture.

Ancient writings describe some phases of the construction of the Colossus. It is believed that an iron skeleton of tie bars was built first and then overlaid with thin brass plates that were riveted in place (D'Epiro & Pinkowish). As the structure rose, the builders placed stones into the interior of the statue to stabilize it — providing weight at the base and tightly compacted stone throughout the sculpture (D'Epiro & Pinkowish). To continue building upward, workers brought huge amounts of soil to the site, formed mounds upon which they climbed to work, and then removed the mounds once the sculpture was complete (D'Epiro & Pinkowish).

The statue was constructed on a marble pedestal that stood 50 feet tall and had a 60-foot diameter (D'Epiro & Pinkowish). Notably, the Colossus of Rhodes stood for only 54 years before being destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC — the briefest lifespan of all the Seven Wonders of the World (D'Epiro & Pinkowish). The Oracle of Delphi declared that the Greek sun god Helios was offended by the sculptural depiction of him, and advised the people of Rhodes not to rebuild the statue in order to avoid further natural disasters at Helios' hand (D'Epiro & Pinkowish).

The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

Erected as a monument to lost love, the Mausoleum is also one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Its 140-foot-tall white marble rise was located where the present-day city of Bodrum stands — the site of ancient Halicarnassus, circa 377 BC (Clayton & Price). A brother and sister ruling pair inherited the kingdom of which Halicarnassus was the capital (Clayton & Price). When her brother and husband Mausolus died, Queen Artemisia was grief-stricken; in 350 BC she decided to construct a grand tomb to memorialize him (Clayton & Price). The king's tomb was to be placed atop a hill overlooking the kingdom he had won in battle (Clayton & Price).

Greek architects and artists were recruited to construct the marble tomb, which was enclosed by decorative walls, 36 columns supporting the roof, and an expansive courtyard lined with stone staircases, stone lions, and statues of gods and goddesses (Clayton & Price). Although the queen died just two years after the king, the artists and builders continued their work until the mausoleum was finished (Clayton & Price). A special dedicatory sculpture depicted Artemisia and Mausolus riding together in a chariot pulled by four horses (Clayton & Price). This manner of ornamentation was uncommon for the period, and the structure was selected as one of the wonders of the world because of its grandeur and ornate detail. The Crusaders destroyed the mausoleum in 1522 AD (Clayton & Price). Before that, the structure had survived an earthquake, the conquest of the land by Alexander the Great, and two separate pirate raids (Clayton & Price). The word mausoleum in our language — referring to an above-ground tomb — is among the lasting legacies of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Clayton & Price).

Conclusion

Given the extraordinary organization and influence of the Greco-Roman people, it is fitting that several ancient structures so remarkable they are called wonders were located within their realm. The Colossus of Rhodes, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the Statue of Zeus at Olympia are the focus of this paper, as these wonders are central to understanding the classical era. The background story of each structure is integral to chapters of human history that still resonate in contemporary culture. The stories are all the more compelling given that, of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only the Great Pyramid of Giza remains intact. All the other structures have fallen to ruin.