Listed 4 sub titles with search on: Information about the place for wider area of: "RHODES Town DODEKANISSOS" .
RODOS (Ancient city) DODEKANISSOS
By far the most important place was the city of Rhodus at the north-eastern
extremity of the island. It was built in B.C. 408 upon a regular plan formed by
the architect Hippodamus, the same who built the walls of Peiraeeus. (Strab. xiv.
p. 654; Diod. xix. 45, xx. 83; Harpocrat. s. v.; Hippodameia.) It was constructed
in the form of an amphitheatre rising from the coast, and was protected by strong
walls and towers, while nature provided it with two excellent harbours. The acropolis
rose at the southwestern extremity, and on the slope of it was the theatre. According
to Strabo, Rhodus surpassed all other cities for the beauty and convenience‘ of
its ports, streets, walls, and public edifices, all of which were adorned with
a profusion of works of art both in painting and sculpture. The principal statues
were in the temple of Dionysus and the gymnasium; but the most extraordinary statue,
which is described as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was the brazen
statue of Helios, commonly called the Colossus of Rhodes. It was the work of Chares
of Lindus, who employed upon its execution twelve years. It cost 300 talents,
and was 70 cubits in height: its gigantic size may be inferred from the fact that
few men were able to encompass one of its thumbs with their arms. (Plin. xxxiv.
18; Strab. l. c.) The Colossus stood at the entrance of one of the ports, but
the statement that it stood astride over the entrance, and that the largest ships
could sail between its legs, is in all probability a mere fable. It was overthrown
by an earthquake, 56 years after its erection, that is, in B.C. 224, or according
to others a few years later. Ptolemy promised the Rhodians, among other things,
3000 talents for its restoration (Polyb. v. 89), but it is said not to have been
attempted in consequence of an oracle (Strab. l. c.). Later authorities, however,
speak of it as standing erect: the emperor Commodus is said to have ordered his
own bust to be put upon it; and Cedrenus relates that a king of the Saracens sold
the fragments to a merchant who employed upwards of 900 camels to carry them away.
Notwithstanding the great splendour of the city, the number of its inhabitants
does not appear to have been very great, for during the siege of Demetrius Poliorcetes
no more than 6000 citizens capable of bearing arms are mentioned. (Diod. xx. 84.)
But Rhodus has nevertheless produced many men of eminence in philosophy and literature,
such as Panaetius, Stratocles, Andronicus, Eudemus, Hieronymus, Peisander, Simmias,
and Aristides; while Poseidonius, Dionysius Thrax, and Apollonius, surnamed the
Rhodian, resided in the island for a considerable tine. The present town of Rhodes
contains very few remains of the ancient Greek city.
This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited June 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
RODOS (Ancient city) DODEKANISSOS
Receive our daily Newsletter with all the latest updates on the Greek Travel industry.
Subscribe now!