The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World World History Mrs. Bailey

“Seven Wonders of the World” - Written by the Greek poet Antipater about 130 B.C.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon They are 'hanging' gardens in the sense that the plants appear to float in the air, growing on different levels of artificial terraces irrigated from the Euphrates. One story states Nebuchadnezzar built them to console a wife, homesick in this flat region for the landscape of her childhood, the mountainous country of the Medes. http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Hanging_Gardens_of_Babylon.jpg

Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece The statue of Zeus, built in the 5th century B.C., is the centerpiece of the god's temple at Olympia. The 40 foot seated statute, about seven times larger than life, is made of ivory and draped in a gold cloak. In one hand he holds the winged figure which to the Greeks symbolizes victory. In the eyes of the ancient world this is the masterpiece of the great sculptor Phidias, surpassing even his earlier statue of Athena (also of gold and ivory) for the Parthenon in Athens. http://www.pictureworldbd.com/images/World%20Famous/33.%20Seven_Wonders-3_Statue_of_Zeus.jpg Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece

A giant bronze statue of Helios the sun god, known subsequently as the colossus of Rhodes, is put up to celebrate the city's survival of a long siege in 305-4 BC. Reinforced with iron and about 30 meters high, it takes some twelve years (292-280 BC) to build and erect beside the harbor. The image of the colossus straddling the harbor entrance is a medieval invention. Before the end of the 3rd century BC an earthquake snaps the statue off at the knees. It lies, a humbled giant, until AD 653 when the Arabs capture the island. They break it up for scrap and require, it is said, more than 900 camels to cart it away. http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa97#952 http://www.jimdiamondmd.com/photogallery/rhodes7_hq.jpg - Picture Colossus of Rhodes

Temple of Artemis or Diana at Ephesus Previously in Asia Minor, now Turkey – famous for giant size and beauty. Built around 550 BC by Croesus, King of Lydia, who was known for his wealth. The temple is extremely large and contains a famous and unusual statue of Artemis, not the virgin huntress of Greek mythology, but a local fertility goddess possessing multiple pendulous objects usually interpreted as breasts or eggs – some even argue they are testicles because the chief priest was always a eunuch. Goths destroyed the temple in 262 A.D. http://www.poedem.ru/Catalogs/jordan/Pic/Cities/dzherash/Temple%20of%20Artemis.2.jpg Temple of Artemis or Diana at Ephesus

Mausoleum Built about 353 B.C. in Western Asia Minor (present day SW Turkey) as a spectacular, huge, white marble tomb (built by his widow, who is also his sister) to honor King Mausolus of Caria (world provided with a new word – mausoleum). It is adorned with sculptures, including a frieze of the battle between the Greeks and the female Amazons and is topped with a pyramid and a chariot. In the 12th century A.D., it is damaged by an earthquake then plundered for building materials. Some sculpture fragments are in the British Museum. The temple stands until the 12th century AD, when it is damaged by an earthquake and later plundered for building materials. Many fragments of the sculptures are in the British Museum. http://www.pictureworldbd.com/images/World%20Famous/34.%20Seven_wonders-4_Mausoleum_of_Harlicarnassus.jpg

The Pharos at Alexandria The three-tier stone tower lighthouse is thought to be more than 400 feet tall with a broad spiral ramp leading up to the platform where wood or oil fires burn and mirrors reflect light out to sea for 30 miles. Above the fires is a huge statue, of either Alexander or Ptolemy in the guise of Helios. It survived until the 12th century. In the 15th century a fort, still standing today, is built from its ruins. http://www.pictureworldbd.com/images/World%20Famous/35.%20Seven_Wonders-5_Lighthouse_of_Alexandria.jpg

The Pyramids of Egypt They were built more than 2000 years before Antipater lived and are the only wonders still standing. http://www.pictureworldbd.com/images/World%20Famous/37.%20Seven_Wonders-7_The_great_Pyramids.jpg