The seven wonders of the ancient world, listed by Herodotus, include the pyramids of Egypt, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Pharos of Alexandria. Only the pyramids remain intact, while the others were destroyed by natural disasters or human actions.
The seven wonders of the ancient world are a collection of sculptures and architectural marvels that did not coexist. A group of wonders was first listed by the Greek historian Herodotus in his work History of Him in 450 BC. Various lists offer slightly different choices for the seven wonders, but often the seven wonders included the following:
The pyramids of Egypt.
The three pyramids of Giza, estimated to have been completed in 2680 BC, are located outside the city we know as modern day Cairo. The largest of the three pyramids is the pyramid of Cheops or Cheops, king of the fourth dynasty. The pyramids of Egypt are the only survivor of the seven wonders.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Herodotus speaks of the splendours of Babylon, without specifically mentioning the Hanging Gardens, although they are recorded by the Greek geographer Strabo and the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus in the 1st century AD In the excavations of the ancient city of Babel in 1899, the German archaeologist Robert Koldewey found evidence which appeared to include the cellars and pumps for the gardens.
The statue of Zeus at Olympia.
In 456 BC, Libon d’Elis completed a temple of Zeus. The sculptor Phidias was chosen to create the statue of Zeus. Considered Phidias’ finest work, the statue – believed to be 40 feet (12 meters) tall – was imitated both as a statue and with likenesses on coins. Three excavation teams, one French in 1829, one German in 1875 and one in the 1950s, found the outlines of Phidias’ temple and workshop, but there was no trace of the large statue itself. This was one of two statues to be designated among the seven wonders.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
There were a number of temples built to the Ephesian fertility goddess Artemis all on the same spot, including in 600 BC by the architect Cherisphron, in 550 BC by the architect Theodore and one by the architect Scopas of Paros which was in construction when Alexander the Great visited Ephesus in 333 BC The latter temple was destroyed by the invading Goths in AD 262 John Turtle Wood, an architect sent by the British Museum in 1863, discovered the foundations of the temple site in 1869. DG Hograth, who led another excavation by the British Museum in 1904, found evidence of five temples which had all been built on the site.
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
In 353 BC Mausolus, ruler of Halicarnassus died. As a tribute, Queen Artemisia decided to have a splendid tomb built for him. Although it survived the conquest of Alexander the Great in 334 BC and pirate attacks in 62 and 58 BC, a series of earthquakes starting in the 14th and early 15th centuries reduced it to its base. Gradually, the broken stones were used to fortify other buildings, and in 1522, with rumors of a Turkish invasion, the remains were crushed and used to fortify the castle where the Crusaders had settled. In 1846, Charles Thomas Newton of the British Museum excavated the site, uncovering statues of Mausolus and Artemisia.
The Colossus of Rhodes.
Rhodes the city was the capital of Rhodes the island. Built in 408 BC, it was a natural port. Mausolus of Halicarnassus conquered the island in 357 BC, it fell to the Persians in 340 BC and was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC
Alexander’s successors fought for Rhodes, and when the attacker withdrew, the Rodians celebrated their victory by erecting a statue of their patron god Helios. The statue, designed by Chares of Lindos and the other statue among the seven wonders, was created over the course of 12 years, starting in 304 BC. The Colossus stood 110 meters tall and was mounted on a 34-metre pedestal. Fifty-six years after its completion, the Colossus was brought down by an earthquake and in the 7th century AD it was broken up and sold for scrap metal. Contrary to popular belief, it did not straddle the harbor entrance.
The Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria.
In 290 BC, Ptolemy Soter, ruler of Alexandria after Alexander’s death, ordered the construction of a lighthouse to guide ships in the city’s harbour. The world’s first lighthouse was completed 20 years later and was second in height only to the Great Pyramid at the time. Designed by Sostrates of Knidos and built on the island of Pharos, the lighthouse was soon named after the island. It apparently suffered the same fate as some of the other Seven Wonders, brought down by the progressive damage of earthquakes in AD 365, 1303 and 1326. In 1994, archaeological divers found the ruins in the waters off Alexandria.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
