During the Hellenistic period, a group of scholars and writers traveled and toured the Mediterranean region, listing several buildings as wonders, believing that their grandeur and intricacy resembled that of divine craftsmanship, rather than being artificially carved. The Zeus Colossus, built by Phidias in Olympia, was awarded this honor and is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, along with the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
🌿 Olympia is a sacred site in Greece, exclusively belonging to Zeus, the king of the gods. In order to honor Zeus, people built an unprecedentedly magnificent temple of Zeus in Olympia and invited Phidias, the most outstanding sculptor in Greece, to sculpt Zeus.
🌱 Phidias was the most prominent sculptor, architect, painter, and designer of Athens during the Golden Age. The completion of the Parthenon was inseparable from his overall design, and the statue of Athena, representing the spirit of the Athenian city-state, is his masterpiece. He is at the core of ancient Greek artistic achievements and an indispensable figure in Western and even world art history. After completing the reconstruction of the Acropolis in Athens, Phidias was caught in a political struggle and exiled. However, gold always shines, and Phidias was invited by Olympia to continue showcasing his talents.
🌿 Although the statue of Zeus has not been preserved, the travel writer Pausanias left us with a detailed description:
The divine king sits on a throne. His image is made of gold and ivory. He has an olive branch shaped wreath on his head. In his right hand, he holds a statue of the goddess of victory made of gold and ivory, with a ribbon and wreath on her head. In his left hand, the divine king holds a scepter inlaid with various precious metals, on which Zeus' holy eagle rests. The divine king's sandals and robes are also made of gold, with animals and blooming lilies engraved on them
