Introduction
What
was the Zeus Statue at Olympia and why was it included as one of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World? It is listed as the fourth oldest and also the
smallest of the Seven. However, it was impressive in its own right. One ancient
author stated that while the other wonders were indeed wonders, this was the only
one that inspired awe. This paper will seek to enlighten the reader on what
exactly the Zeus statue was and its appearance.
The
Beginning of the Zeus Statue
The
Zeus statue was built by Phidias[1]
in the middle of the 400s B.C. This has been confirmed by the discovery of
Phidias’ workshop, similar in size to the Temple of Zeus in which the statue
stood. Materials have been excavated at this workshop that were used in the
building of the statue. Zeus was the king of the gods, and worshipped greatly
in Greek culture. He was also the king over the Olympics. These were held
regularly in Olympia, Greece –near the Temple of Zeus where the statue presided.
Olympia stood on the west coast of Greece.
Sources vary about
the amount of time needed to complete the statue. It was somewhere between
eight and 15 years. This author is inclined to believe from her research that
it took him about 12 years. As the insightful reader may have deduced, there is
a great deal of debate about the date of completion for the Zeus statue. The
most popular date on the internet appears to be 435 B.C. The earliest dates I
found were 460 B.C. and 457 B.C. – these are highly improbable. One source
suggested that it was built from 432-420 B.C., dates that are disturbingly
late. Another argued for 450-442 B.C. A third suggested that Phidias designed
the statue in 450 B.C., but that it was actually completed in 435 B.C. Suffice
to say that the modern enthusiast cannot be entirely certain of a completion
date.
Description
The
Zeus statue was seated in the entry to the Zeus Temple in Olympia. Its height
is also a matter of debate on the internet. This author’s research leads her to
believe it was somewhere between 40 and 43 feet. The shortest estimate encountered
said it was 36 feet; the tallest said 50. One suggested that the statue itself
was 39 feet, with a seven foot base to contribute. Whatever the exact height
was, it came to about the size of a four-story building. At the bottom, it was
20-22 feet wide, filling half the width of the aisle that held it.
Zeus
was made in the chryselephantine method. This means that Phidias built a wooden
frame, over which he laid softened slabs of ivory (which molded together
perfectly so the seams were hardly visible) and gold leaf. The ivory was Zeus’
skin, and was carefully carved as such. The gold leaf was used for his hair,
eyes, jewelry, and weaponry. Semi-precious stones were also used to embellish.
His sandals were gold, as was his robe – the latter was carved with animals and
lilies. On Zeus’ head sat a wreath of olive sprays. His right hand held a small
statue of Nike (his messenger and the god of victory). His left hand embraced a
scepter inset with many metals and topped with an eagle.
Zeus
sat on a throne made primarily of gold and precious stones along with ebony and
ivory. These were all laid over cedar. The legs of the throne were decorated
with sphinxes and winged figures of victory.
Around
the statue was a pool of oil and water. It had a use, which shall be discussed
shortly, but it is also more than possible that it reflected sunlight back onto
the statue, making it even more brilliantly blinding than it already was.
The
details about the physical attributes of the Zeus statue are known merely from
coins and descriptions written by ancient authors. No part of the statue
itself, nor any replica, has been found.
The Life of
the Zeus Statue
The
statue stood in all its glory for over 800 years. One source (counting on a
removal to Constantinople in AD 392) pins it down to 827, but an exact number
is impossible to ascertain. Zeus was treated regularly with oil to maintain the
ivory and keep the wood from deterioration.[2]
Visitors
were awed by the size and features of the statue. Many said that if Zeus were
suddenly to come to life and stand up, he would “unroof the temple.”[3]
It was one of the most successful tourist attractions in the area for
understandable reasons. One of the notable features was the eyes, which have
been termed penetrating.
Sometime
during the first century AD, the emperor Caligula attempted to move the statue
to his own city. However, all his scaffolding fell down and the attempt was
given up. In 170 B.C., an earthquake struck Olympia, resulting in some damage
to the statue. However, it was repaired and continued to stand. It is possible
that some harm was done to the statue late in the second century AD – some
writings insinuate this, but nothing is definite. We do know for sure that in
the early fourth century AD, all the gold was stripped from the statue. And in
AD 391, the Temple of Zeus was closed. But what happened to the statue? From
here, it becomes a little hard to tell.
Destruction
of the Statue
Several
options have been suggested for what exactly happened the Statue of Zeus at
Olympia, but none has been yet conclusively proven. This paper will take a
quick look at three. The one thing we do know for sure is that the statue was
destroyed in the fifth century AD.
The
first option was only suggested in one of the dozens of sources used, and is
highly unlikely. It is suggested that a meteor came and hit the statue. This theory
may be almost certainly ruled out, as such a catastrophic event would probably
be well recorded.
The
second option suggests that Zeus remained in the temple and was burnt, along
with the temple, in AD 425. This seems a valid solution, as moving the statue
would be exceedingly difficult.
However,
the third option seems to possess the most internet popularity. This is the
option that suggests the statue was moved to Constantinople (sometime between
AD 392 and 394) and was there for many years, until the city was swept by a
fire. The most likely date in this author’s opinion is AD 462, but the modern
reader cannot know for sure. [4]
Whatever
happened, the statue was utterly destroyed. As has been previously mentioned,
no remains have been found from the statue itself. In Phidias’ workshop,
archaeologists found the tools and a few of the materials used for the statue.
However, neither Zeus nor any models have been discovered to date. All that
remains of the Temple of Zeus is the foundation and a few fallen columns.
Conclusion
The
Statue of Zeus at Olympia was an impressive structure, and it is easy to
understand why it was chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
It inspired awe and no doubt brought much commerce to Olympia. However, it was
not immortal and is entirely gone.
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