“Hey! Sun, the people of Dorian of Rhodes made it for you to deliver this bronze statue to Olympus, wishing you to drive away the waves of war and crown the city. May our city be free from looting, so that not only the seas but also the lands are deprived of the light of the torch of freedom.” (From the dedication letter of the statue…)

Pliny the Little for the Rhodes Statue, which only survived for 56 yearŞs; “Yes, it lies on the ground, but it's gorgeous.” he said. This giant Rhodes Statue at the entrance of the port of Rhodes was not only a statue, but also symbolized the unity of the people of Rhodes, that is a very beautiful island.

In ancient Greece, the city-state system with certain powers was valid. Like Lalysos, Kamiros and Lindos, Rhodes was one of the four island states. In 408 BC, they achieved great economic success after they made an agreement with the four islands and made Rhodes the capital and established a union. They had a very developed commercial relationship with the Egyptian King Ptolomei I Soter. In 305 BC, Macedonian Antigonids broke this Rhodes-Egyptian trade union by fighting as a result of commercial rivalry, but they could never enter the city. Peace was made in 304 BC, the union was re-established, and military supplies were sold, and it was decided to build a giant statue in the name of the Sun God Helios with its money. The statue was made in twelve years and was finished in 282 BC, but it did not survive a severe earthquake in 226 BC. The city was completely destroyed, and the statue was toppled by breaking its weakest part, the knees.

The Rhodesians claimed financial assistance from the Egyptian King Ptolemy III for the restoration, but then Ptolemy's aid was withheld when an oracle prophesied that it was forbidden to remake the statue. For nearly 900 years, the broken statue remained, as a result, it became a relic. Then something strange happened and a Jew Syrian bought the statue and carried it on the backs of camels. The aftermath is unknown.

Who Was Helios? What was Helios’ place in Greek mythology?

Now, let's try to clarify the mythological story hidden in the Colossus of Rhodes. Helios was the child of Hyperion and Theia and was the Sun God. The Ancient Greek Philosopher Plato, who is out of the subject of this cult, which is widespread throughout Greece, tells in his Symposium and in his other works that many people, including Socrates, greet the sun and pray every day.

One of the places where Helios was especially worshiped was Rhodes, the largest of Greece's Dodecanese Islands in the eastern Mediterranean. Helios was the patron god for Rhodes and was the most important. Helios was honored with the festival of Helieia, the most important of the island's religious days, and the Pan-Greek games very similar to the ancient Olympic Games. Confirming this, the name of the island derives from the nymph Rhodes, who gave Helios seven sons in founding mythology.

About the Seven Wonders of the World Rhodes Statue

Explanation: Although it is actually called the Port of Rhodes, it is not known which port the statue stands at the mouth of today. Estimates are that it is Mandraki Harbor. As you can see in the picture, the statue is of incredible dimensions. There are also ancient inscriptions mentioning that it blocked the port's mouth after it was overthrown, but the contradiction is too much. It is not known whether the statue stood on land or at sea for 900 years. What did the Jewish merchant buy? The whole statue or part of it? Maybe he bought something else. The statue was made by a commission headed by Rhodesian sculptor Chares of Lindos, worked in bronze pieces and then assembled. His feet and heels were put on. It is thought that iron and stone blocks were also used in the construction of its roof. Its pedestal was made of white marble. Its height when finished was 33 meters. Its exact shape and appearance are also unknown. The drawings known as the Rhodes Statue were made based on the narratives. Inspired by the Statue of Rhodes, French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi made the most well-known sculpture of the modern world, symbolizing the world's largest country. This, yes, was the Statue of Liberty in New York. Oddly enough, both statues were made in the name of freedom.