Information about the Colossus of Rhodes

From Colossus building to its destruction lies a time span of about 56 years. Nowadays the Colossus earned a place in the famous list of the “Seven Wonders”. "But even lying on the ground, it is a marvel", said Pliny the Elder. The Collossos of Rhodes was not only a very gigantic statue. It was rather a symbol of unity of the inhabitants of Rhodes.

Travellers to New York City harbour see another gigantic sight. Standing in the harbour is an huge statue of a robed woman, holding a book and lifting a torch to the sky. The Statue of Liberty's measures are almost 120 feet from foot to crown. It is sometimes referred to as the "Modern Colossus”.

This statue was a gift from France to America.  It is easily recognized by people around the world. What many visitors to this shrine to freedom don't know is that the statue, the "Modern Colossus," is the echo of the ancient Colossus that stood over two thousand years ago at the entrance to another busy harbour. Like the Statue of Liberty, the Colossus was also built as a celebration of freedom. This statue, has the same height from toe to head as the Statue of Liberty.

History

Like most of history, ancient Greece was comprised of city-states which had limited power. On the island of Rhodes, located off the south-western tip of Asia Minor where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean, were three of these, named Ialysos, Kamiros, and Lindos. In 408 BC, the cities united and had the unified capital, Rhodes, which was designed to take advantage of the island's best natural harbour on the northern coast. The city became a strong economic centre in the ancient world.

In 305 BC, order to break the Rhodian-Egyptian Alliance. They could never penetrate the city of Rhodes. When a peace agreement was finally reached in 304 BC, the Antagonids left, leaving a wealth of military equipment behind. To celebrate their victory, the Rhodians sold the equipment and decided to used the money to built a giant statue of their patron god Helios, God of the sun. According to Pliny, a historian who lived several centuries after the Colossus was built, construction took 12 years. Other historians place the start of the work in 304 B.C.. The construction of the Colossus took about 12 years and was finished in 282 BC. For years, the statue stood at the harbour entrance, until a strong earthquake hit Rhodes about 226 BC. The city was badly damaged, and the Colossus was broken at its knee.

The Rhodians received an immediate offer from Ptolemy III Eurgetes of Egypt to cover all restoration costs for the toppled monument. 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 654, 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 900 camels.

Location

Many years it has been believed that the Colossus stood directely in front of the Mandraki harbor, one of many in the city of Rhodes, decorating its entrance. The Colossus stood proudly for some fifty-six years. Each morning the sun must have caught its polished bronze surface and made the god's figure shine. Then an earthquake hit Rhodes and the statue collapsed. Huge pieces of the figure lay along the harbor for centuries. Looking at the height of the statue and the width of the harbor, it is rather impossible. On the other hand, the fallen Colossus would have blocked the harbor entrance totally. Newest studies suggest that it was built either on the eastern side of the Mandraki harbor, or maybe even further inland. Anyway, it did surely never straddle the harbor entrance. No account mentions the harbour-spanning pose of the Colossus and it seems unlikely the Greeks would have depicted one of their gods in such an manner. In addition, such a pose would mean shutting down the harbour during the construction, something not economically feasible. 

Size

Comparing the famous Statue of Liberty in New York harbour with the ancient Colossus of Rhodes,  the bodies are almost the same size the Statue stands a little higher because of the taller pedestal and upraised torch. The statue of Helios was constructed of bronze plates over an iron framework, which is very similar to the construction of the Statue of Liberty which is copper over a steel frame. According to the book of Pilon of Byzantium, 15 tons of bronze were used and 9 tons of iron, though these numbers seem low. The Statue of Liberty, roughly of the same size, weighs 225 tons. The Colossus, was built  on weaker materials, must have at least as much weigh and probably more.

From ancient accounts we know that inside the statue were some strong stone columns which acted as the main support. Iron beams were driven into the stone columns  and were connected with the bronze outer skin. Each bronze plate had to be carefully hammered into the right shape for its location in the figure, then hoisted into the right position and riveted into the surrounding plates and the iron frame.

The architect of this great construction was Chares of Lindos, a very famous Rhodian sculptor. Chares had been involved with several large scale statues before. His teacher, the famous Lysippus, had constructed a 60-foot high likeness of Godfather Zeus. Chares probably started his huge project by making smaller versions of the statue, maybe three feet high. These smaller statues were probably used as a guide to shaping each of the bronze plates of the skin.

"Even as it lies," wrote Pliny, "it excites our wonder and admiration. Few men can clasp the thumb in their arms, and its fingers are larger than most statues. Where the limbs are broken asunder, vast caverns are seen yawning in the interior. Within it, too, are to be seen large masses of rock, by the weight of which the artist steadied it while erecting it."

Production

To celebrate their victory and freedom, the inhabitants of Rhodes decided to build a giant statue of their patron god Helios. They melted down bronze from the war machines Demetrius left behind for the exterior of the figure and the  siege tower became the scaffolding for the project. According to Pliny, a historian who lived several centuries after the Statue of Helios was built, construction took 12 years. Other historians place the start of the work in 304 B.C..

The architect of this great construction was Chares of Lindos, a very famous Rhodian sculptor. Chares had been involved with several large scale statues before. His teacher, the famous Lysippus, had constructed a 60-foot high likeness of Godfather Zeus. Chares probably started his huge project by making smaller versions of the statue, maybe three feet high. These smaller statues were probably used as a guide to shaping each of the bronze plates of the skin. To build the statue, he and his workers cast the outer bronze skin parts. The base was made of white marble, Probably, the feet and the ankle of the statue were first fixed. The structure was gradually erected as the bronze form was fortified with an iron and stone framework. To reach the upper parts, an earth ramp was built all around the statue and was later removed. When the Colossos was finished, it stood about 33 m  high. And when it fell, "few people can make their arms meet round the thumb", wrote Pliny.

It is believed Chares did not live long enough to see his giant project finished. One story says Chares has almost finished the statue when someone points out a small flaw in his construction. They say, that the sculptor was so ashamed about it and commits suicide. Another version is, that the city fathers decided to double the height of the statue. Without new Calculation, Chares doubles his fee, forgetting that doubling the height will be an eightfold increase in the whole amount of materials needed. This drives him into bankruptcy and he kills himself.

The construction of the Colossus took about 12 years and was finished in 282 BC. Only a few  years, the statue stood at its place, until a strong earthquake hit Rhodes in the year 226 BC. The city was badly damaged, and the Colossus was broken at a weak point, its knees.