The Colossus of Rhodes

The Colossus of Rhodes was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and represented the God Elio, the God of the Sun with a huge brazier in his right arm that had the function of a lighthouse.

According to legend, its position was right at the mouth of the port of Mandraki, the current tourist port where today there are the two columns on which the feet of the huge were placed, then replaced with two other statues of deer the animal symbol of the island of Rhodes, one with branched horns that symbolizes the masculine and another that represents the feminine. In reality, even if the idea is so fascinating, it is thought that its location was not really the entrance by sea to the city as, given its height and width, falling would have obstructed the passage. According to recent studies, it is more probable that it was erected either above the promontory east of the port or even more in the interior of Rhodes. Another myth that has been dispelled about the Colossus is that the legs were not spread apart but rather joined in the traditional Greek style, that she was naked with a crown of thorns on her head, that her right hand was in position to protect herself from the sun's rays while in the left held a cloak. However, the idea of the Colossus in the imagination was a great example for many sculptors as for Auguste Bartholdi the designer of the American Statue of Liberty.

The wonderful work was designed and built by the sculptor Chares of Lindos, Rodiota Doc. Completed in 293 BC after 12 years of work, according to the story it remained standing for about sixty years. 33 meters high, it was built with a 15 meter high base in white marble and the assault tower left by Demetrius, further fortified with stone and iron, was used as the soul for the construction. For the external appearance, Chares of Lindos, cast the bronze of the war machines that Demetrius left when defeated he withdrew from the island of Rhodes thus giving life to one of the most prestigious masterpieces in history.

Given its position very close to the East and where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean, Rhodes was a powerful economic center. In ancient Greece it was a city-state together with Ialyssos, Kamiros, Lindos and a confederation of six cities was part of the Doric Hexapolis (the other three were Kos, Halicarnassus and Cnico). The city of Rhodes was conceived to be able to make the most of the natural port located on the north side and perfect for trading with the Asian continent and in particular with Ptolemy I Sultan of Egypt. In 357 BC the current city of Bodrum was taken from Mausolus of Halicarnassus, which houses the tomb of the governor, also considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In 340 BC it was the turn of the Persians to end up in 332 with Alexander the Great.

After Alexander's death, his generals Ptolemy, Selucus and Antigonus begin to fight for domination of the immense empire. Rhodes supports Ptolemy by causing great resentment to Antigono who, mad with rage in 305 BC, sends his son Demetrius to punish and conquer the island. With an army of about 40,000 men, Demetrius sets out to conquer Rhodes but despite a much smaller number, the Rodians never yielded and never allowed the occupation. This enterprise was possible thanks to a pit dug by the inhabitants outside the walls that caused the heavy siege tower to sink and stop where the monstrous war machines were located. In 304, after a bloody and very tiring year, a truce was found that forced Demetrius to immediately retreat and to celebrate the victory, the Rodians with all the material left built the Colossus.

Unfortunately like all beautiful things, there is always an end. According to the legend, a powerful earthquake in 226 BC hits the island almost razing it to the ground and the Colossus broke on the knee considered the weakest point sinking into the sea. Ptolemy offers to financially support the reconstruction of the statue but the inhabitants after a consultation with an Oracle refuse the offer as the cataclysm is considered a retaliation by the God of the Sun because offended by the monument. It remained on the seabed for about 1000 years and in 654 BC Rhodes was occupied by the Arabs, who dismantled the sculpture and sold it to a Syrian Jew. To transport the remains to Syria, the merchant had to employ 900 camels and from here the traces of the Colossus of Rhodes disappear.

Whether it is a legend or a reality, we sincerely don't care, we like to imagine the majestic masterpiece of the Colossus of Rhodes as it is told and when you are on the island do as we do, go to the port of Mandraki and close your eyes imagining how beautiful it would be to be able to see him again there, mighty and vigorous watching over the beautiful city.