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Colossus of Rhodes

Short answer: The Colossus of Rhodes was a bronze statue of the sun god Helios, about 33 m (108 ft) tall, built by Chares of Lindos to celebrate Rhodes surviving a siege in 305-304 BC. Completed around 280 BC, it was made of bronze plates over an iron framework.

An earthquake in 226 BC snapped it at the knees, and it lay where it fell for centuries; Pliny the Elder reported that even fallen it was a marvel. In 653 AD an Arab force under Muawiya took Rhodes and, by later accounts, sold the remains for scrap. The famous image of the statue straddling the harbor entrance is a medieval idea; modern scholars think it stood on land, as ships could not have passed under it and the harbor would have been blocked during construction. The footage shows renderings of the statue and harbor. This is No. 6 in his Seven Wonders of the Ancient World series.

VideoWrite-up2 sources

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What should you know about Colossus of Rhodes?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. It was a bronze statue of the sun god Helios.

    DD-102-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (Helios)

  2. It stood about 33 m (108 ft) tall.

    DD-102-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit B (About 33 m)

Video transcript: Colossus of Rhodes: One Ancient Wonder Stood for Barely Half a Century

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World No. 6 The Colossus of Rhodes DID YOU KNOW? The Colossus of Rhodes was a massive bronze statue of the sun god Helios erected on the island of Rhodes in the 3rd century BC. The Colossus was said to be over 100 feet tall and was built using a framework of iron and bronze plates. According to ancient accounts, it stood at the entrance of the harbor and ships would pass between its legs. Despite its fame, the Colossus stood for only a relatively brief period. It was toppled by an earthquake in 226 BC, just 56 years after its completion. Legend has it that it lay in ruins for nearly 900 years before it was eventually sold as scrap metal. NOW YOU KNOW!

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The write-up

One ancient wonder stood for barely half a century. An earthquake toppled the Colossus in 226 BC.

  1. Exhibit A

    Helios

    It was a bronze statue of the sun god Helios.

  2. Exhibit B

    About 33 m

    It stood about 33 m (108 ft) tall.

  3. Exhibit C

    Iron and bronze

    It was built of bronze plates over iron.

  4. Exhibit D

    Toppled in 226 BC

    An earthquake toppled it in 226 BC.

  5. Exhibit E

    Sold in 653

    Its remains were reportedly sold for scrap after 653 AD.

Questions people ask about Colossus of Rhodes

Which god did the Colossus depict?

The sun god.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Helios) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes

About how tall was it?

About 108 ft.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (About 33 m) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes

What was it built of?

Riveted plates.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Iron and bronze) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes

What toppled it?

In 226 BC.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Toppled in 226 BC) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes; Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

When were its remains reportedly sold?

Sold as scrap.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Sold in 653) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. Which god did the Colossus depict?

    1. Helios
    2. Zeus
    3. Poseidon
    4. Apollo of Delphi
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Helios The sun god. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Helios) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes

  2. About how tall was it?

    1. 33 m
    2. 3 m
    3. 300 m
    4. 100 m
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 33 m About 108 ft. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (About 33 m) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes

  3. What was it built of?

    1. Bronze over iron
    2. Marble
    3. Gold and ivory
    4. Wood
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Bronze over iron Riveted plates. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Iron and bronze) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes

  4. What toppled it?

    1. An earthquake
    2. A fire
    3. An invasion
    4. Lightning
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. An earthquake In 226 BC. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Toppled in 226 BC) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes; Wikipedia: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

  5. When were its remains reportedly sold?

    1. After 653 AD
    2. In 226 BC
    3. In 1912
    4. Never
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. After 653 AD Sold as scrap. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Sold in 653) · Wikipedia: Colossus of Rhodes

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Colossus of Rhodes." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-102, last updated Nov 30, 2023. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/colossus-of-rhodes/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/colossus-of-rhodes/ · Last updated

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Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-102-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/colossus-of-rhodes/#DD-102-F01

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