fbpx

KidsKonnect

Colossus of Rhodes Facts & Worksheets

On the island of Rhodes, which is located in the eastern Aegean Sea, a 33 meter high statue of the Greek god of the sun, Helios, was built and was called the Colossus of Rhodes.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /World History /Ancient Empires & Civilizations /Colossus of Rhodes Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Colossus of Rhodes Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

On the island of Rhodes, which is located in the eastern Aegean Sea, a 33 meter high statue of the Greek god of the sun, Helios, was built and was called the Colossus of Rhodes. Sculpted by Charles of Lindos, this has been known as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world and was featured as a must-see view in contemporary travel writers’ lists.

See the fact file below for more information on the Colossus of Rhodes or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Colossus of Rhodes worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ERECTION OF THE STATUE

  • Initially, the Colossus was built as a monument of victory after the people of Rhodes withstood the forces of a powerful army which was an outcome of the division of the empire of Alexander the Great. Plans for Alexander’s succession were not established due to Alexander’s early death in 323 B.C.E. which caused conflict among the Diadochi, who were his generals, and resulted in the separation of Alexander’s Mediterranean empire. Amidst the battle, Rhodes made an alliance with Ptolemy wherein their union dominated the trade in the eastern Mediterranean after they conquered Egypt.
  • Antigonus I Monophthalmus, one of Alexander’s generals, was distressed with the triumphant outcome and ordered an invasion of Rhodes in 305 B.C.E. It was led by his son who was also a general, Demetrius Poliorcetes wherein his name “Poliorcetes” represents as the “besieger of cities”. Despite an army of 40,000 men, they were no match for the defenses of Rhodes which led Demetrius to order the construction of several enormous siege towers for access within the island’s walls. Six ships were used to secure the first tower but before it was used, it was overturned by a storm. For Demetrius’ second attempt, he ordered a construction of a larger land-based tower, Helepolis, however, it failed to attack as the Rhodian defenders flooded the land beyond the walls. The army of Demetrius retreated and left the majority of their siege equipment when Ptolemy sent force ships in 304 B.C.E.
  • To commemorate the Rhodians’ victory, they sold the equipment of Demtrius’ army for the construction of a colossal statue of Helios who was their patron God. The construction was entrusted to a native of Lindos in Rhodes named Charles. He was well-experienced in sculpting large-scale statues as he was taught by the sculptor Lysippos who has built a 60-foot-high statue of Zeus out of bronze in Tarentum.

CONSTRUCTION

  • The Colossus of Rhodes was described to be placed in the harbor on a breakwater while several ancient sources said that the structure was built around towers of blocks which formed its interior wherein it stood on a white marble pedestal which was 50-foot-high along the harbor entrance of Mandraki.
  • Most of the materials used to craft the Colossus were taken from weapons left by the army of Demetrius. The iron and bronze in the weapons were reused; the iron beams were inserted in the brick towers while the bronze plates on the bars were molded into the sculpture’s skin. The abandoned Helepolis, the second siege tower, was used as the scaffolding surrounding the construction’s lower levels and the upper level was formed using a large earthen ramp.
  • To support the foundation of the sculpture, mounds of dirt were piled around its sides which made it look like a volcano but were then removed upon its finalization. After 12 years, the statue was completed, where it stood near the harbor entrance of Rhodes and was over 110 feet tall.

DESTRUCTION

  • Despite the majestic end product, the statue only stood for 56 years before it was trampled down due to an earthquake. As the statue’s knees snapped, it crumbled down and scattered all over the harbor. Despite the financial offer of Ptolemy III for reconstruction, Rhodians declined with the thought that they have angered their patron god, Helios. However, regardless of its broken down remains, the massive pieces scattered on the ground piqued the interest of travelers as each of the statue’s fingers was larger than most statues itself.

THE RHODES COLOSSUS: AN EDITORIAL CARTOON

  • The Rhodes of Colossus is an unfamous editorial cartoon of the Scramble for Africa during the New Imperialism period, featuring the coloniser Cecil Rhodes as a giant standing over the continent.
  • This was drawn by British cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne, and initially appeared in Punch magazine in 1892.
  • Rhodes is a visual pun of the ancient Greek statue, the Colossus of Rhodes, with its wide-set legs stretching across the harbor of Rhodes; its right foot is in Cape town in South Africa and its left foot is set in Cairo, Egypt, depicting the colonization of the British Empire in Africa.

CECIL RHODES AND THE IMPERIAL FACTOR

  • Born on July 5, 1853, Cecil John Rhodes was a British mining magnate and a Prime Minister of the Cape Colony in Southern Africa from 1890 to 1896.
  • An enthusiastic believer in British imperialism, Cecil, together with his British South Africa Company, established the southern African territory of Rhodesia.
  • Along with his business partner Alfred Beit and other investors, Rhodes used his wealth to form a British Empire in new territories to the north by acquiring mineral concessions from the most powerful tribe chiefs.
  • He has been the target of some historians, pointing out his ruthless imperialist and white supremacist side.

Colossus of Rhodes Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Colossus of Rhodes across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Colossus of Rhodes worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about a 33 meter high statue of the Greek god of the sun, Helios, which was built and was called the Colossus of Rhodes. Sculpted by Charles of Lindos, this has been known as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world and was featured as a must-see view in contemporary travel writers’ lists.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Colossus of Rhodes Facts
  • Erection of the Statue
  • The Controversial Rhodes
  • Test Yourself
  • Curiosity Hits
  • Facts Only
  • Greek Mythology Puzzle
  • Naming Wonders
  • Statues of Freedom
  • Reconstruct the Colossus
  • The Statue Story

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Colossus of Rhodes Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 3, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources