World Wonders: Statue of Zeus
14 Jun, 2010
Zeus, the Greek god, used to reign supreme over the old city of Olympia. About 150 km west of the Greek city of Rome is situated Olympia. which houses the statue of Zeus. The Greek god is associat¬ed with the Olympics, which is organized in obeisance to him.
It is believed that it was in year 450 BC the temple of Zeus was built by the famed sculptor Libon. However, the erstwhile rulers disapproved of the architecture of the temple and decided to install the statue of Zeus in a bid to make it more attractive. The task was entrusted with the sculptor Phidius.
The 12-metre high statue of Zeus was thus born in gold, expensive granite blocks, ivory and such rare ingredients. The jewellery and the attire of the idol were made of gold, while the body of the sculpture was made from chemically-treated ivory. The idol holds on one hand the idol of Nike, the goddess of victory, and on the other a staff on which an eagle rests.
Post-First century AD, the downfall of the monument began. It all started when Roman emperor Caligula tried to take the monument all the way to Rome. The statue fell from a height while the shifting was being undertaken and sustained damages. Later on, in 391 AD. Theodozeus I declared a ban on the Olympic Games and shut down the temple of Zeus.
Hard times followed and a group of rich Greeks saved the statue from further ruin by shifting it to Constantinople. Till 462 AD, the monument stood supreme at Constantinople but a major fire destroyed the statue for ever
|
