Learn about the Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes was a giant statue of the God Helios. It was created between 292 and 280 B.C. and stood on the Greek island of Rhodes. It was approximately of the same size of the statue of Liberty and some say that the French sculptor who created the statue of Liberty in fact used the colossus inspiration.

In attempted siege by Dimitrius in 305 B.C. was unsuccessful and the Rhodians decided to celebrate by building the Colossus of Rhodes. In fact, they say that that it was finance by selling all the weapons that Dimitrius had left behind in front of Rhodes.

Different account of how the construction took place exists but many say a lot of the weapons must behind were melted down to build the Colossus of Rhodes.

After standing for 56 years and earthquake destroyed much of the city and caused the statue to break at the knee and fall, an Oracle claim that they defend of the God Helios so they refuse to rebuild the statue and the falling statue lay there for 800 years until in 654 A.D. it was sold to a traveling salesman. He broke up the remaining pieces and supposedly, it traveled on the bottom of 900 camels to Syria.


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