Travels from A to Z. Temple of Zeus at Olympia - a wonder of the world and guardian of the sacred grove

The third wonder of the ancient world. It was erected in the 5th century BC. Marble Zeus was larger in size than all existing temples at that time. The massive roof of the building measuring 27 by 64 m was supported by columns made of limestone. The exploits of Zeus were depicted on the marble pediments of the temple. The statue of Zeus was erected by Phidias.

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Seven wonders of the world. Olympian Zeus.

Statue of Zeus at Olympia (wonder of the world No. 3)

Presentation on the topic: "Statue of Zeus"

Project 3 Statue of Zeus at Olympia

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Creation of a temple

The Olympic Games, held for 300 years in honor of the god Zeus, were extremely popular among the people. Despite this, there was no main temple of Zeus in Greece and only in 470 BC. e. began collecting donations for its construction.

Description of the temple

According to legend, the temple was magnificent. The entire temple, including the roof, was built of marble. It was surrounded by 34 massive limestone columns. Each was 10.6 meters high and more than 2 meters thick. The area of the temple was 1728 m2. On the outer walls of the temple there were slabs with bas-reliefs depicting the 12 labors of Hercules. Bronze doors, 10 meters high, opened the entrance to the cult room of the temple.

In the 5th century BC. e. The citizens of Olympia decided to build a temple of Zeus. The majestic building was erected between 466 and 456 BC. e. It was built from huge stone blocks and was surrounded by massive columns. For several years after construction was completed, the temple did not have a worthy statue of Zeus, although it was soon decided that one was necessary. The famous Athenian sculptor Phidias was chosen as the creator of the statue.

Making a statue

Construction of the temple took about 10 years. But the statue of Zeus did not appear in it right away. The Greeks decided to invite the famous Athenian sculptor Phidias to create a statue of Zeus. By this time, Phidias had managed to create two famous statues of Athena (“Athena Promachos” and “Athena Parthenos”). None of his creations have survived to this day). By his order, a workshop was built 80 meters from the temple, which exactly corresponded to the size of the temple. There he worked on a statue of Zeus with his student Kolot and brother Panen behind a huge purple curtain and created a statue of the Thunder God in the chrysoelephantine technique. Phidias himself was very picky about the material that was delivered to him. He was especially picky about the ivory from which he created the body of the god. Then, under heavy security, precious stones and 200 kg of pure gold were brought into the temple at the feet of the Thunderer.

Description of the statue

The cape that covered part of Zeus’s body, the scepter with an eagle, which he held in his left hand, the statue of the goddess of victory - Nike, which he held in his right hand, and the wreath of olive branches on Zeus’s head are covered in gold. Zeus's feet rested on a stool supported by two lions. The reliefs of the throne glorified, first of all, Zeus himself. Four dancing Nikes were depicted on the legs of the throne. Also depicted were centaurs, lapiths, the labors of Theseus and Hercules, and frescoes depicting the battle of the Greeks with the Amazons. The base of the statue was 6 meters wide and 1 meter high. The height of the entire statue together with the pedestal was, according to various sources, from 12 to 17 meters. The impression was created “that if he (Zeus) wanted to get up from the throne, he would blow the roof off.” Zeus's eyes were the size of an adult's fist. The man next to this statue seemed like an insignificant insect.

“God sits on a golden throne, his figure is made of gold and ivory, on his head he has a wreath as if made of olive branches, on his right hand he holds the goddess of victory, also made of ivory and gold. She has a bandage and a wreath on her head. In the left hand of the god is a scepter decorated with all kinds of metals. The bird sitting on the scepter is an eagle. God’s shoes and outerwear are also made of gold, and on the clothes there are images of various animals and lilies of the field.”

Unveiling of the statue

In 435 BC. e. The grand opening of the statue took place. The most influential people in Greece came to see Zeus. They were amazed by what they saw. The Thunderer's eyes sparkled brightly. It seemed as if lightning was being born in them. The whole head and shoulders of the god sparkled with divine light. Phidias himself went into the depths of the temple and from there watched the enthusiastic audience. In order for the head and shoulders of the Thunderer to sparkle, he ordered a rectangular pool to be cut down at the foot of the statue. Olive oil was poured on top of the water in it: a stream of light from the doors falls onto the dark oily surface, and the reflected rays rush upward, illuminating the shoulders and head of Zeus. There was a complete illusion that this light was pouring from God to people. They said that the Thunderer himself descended from heaven in order to pose for Phidias.

According to legend, when the statue was finished, Phidias turned to to god with a prayer: to give a sign whether the new job is acceptable to him, - the lightning that broke out soon struck the marble floor, and since then a special copper bowl has stood in that place.

The fate of Phidias himself still remains unknown. According to one version, 3 years later he was convicted and thrown into prison, where he died soon after. According to another version, he lived another 6-7 years, becoming an outcast in his old age, and died in oblivion.

The fate of the third wonder of the world

The statue was damaged after an earthquake in the 2nd century BC. e., then it was restored by the sculptor Dimophon.

The ancient Greek city of Olympia, located in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese, was a religious center, a place of worship of the supreme god of the ancient Greeks Zeus and the Olympic Games dedicated to him. It was the greatest artistic center of Ancient Greece. The architectural ensemble of Olympia mainly took shape in the 7th - 4th centuries BC. Magnificent temples of the gods, large and small, were erected here.

There was also one of the seven wonders of the world - the Statue of Olympian Zeus - the famous statue of the king of gods and people by the great Greek sculptor Phidias.

The statue was placed in the cult center of the Olympic sanctuary - the Temple of Zeus, in the sacred grove of Altis (the only wonder of the world found on the European continent). According to legend, the temple was magnificent. The entire temple, including the roof, was built of marble. It was surrounded by 34 massive columns made of shell rock. Each was 10.5 meters high and more than 2 meters thick. The area of the temple was 64x27 m. On the outer walls of the temple there were slabs with bas-reliefs depicting the 12 labors of Hercules. Bronze doors, 10 meters high, opened the entrance to the cult room of the temple.

About 10 years after the start of construction, the temple was built. But there was no statue of Zeus in it. The Greeks decided to invite the famous Athenian sculptor Phidias to create a statue of Zeus. By this time, Phidias had managed to create two famous statues of Athena (“Athena Promachos” and “Athena Parthenos.” Unfortunately, none of his creations have survived to this day). By his order, a workshop was built 80 meters to the left of the temple. This workshop exactly matched the size of the temple. There he, with his two assistants, who were needed only as garbage collectors, behind a huge purple curtain, created a statue of the thunder god using the chrysoelephantine technique. Phidias himself was very picky about the material that was delivered to him. He was especially picky about the ivory from which he created the body of the god. Then, under heavy security, precious stones and 200 kg of pure gold were brought into the temple at the feet of the Thunderer. According to modern prices, the cost of gold alone, which was used to decorate the statue, was about 8 million dollars.

When asked by the artist Panen how he (Phidias) planned to represent the supreme god, the master replied:

“...Just as Zeus is presented by Homer in the following verses of the Iliad:
Rivers, and as a sign Zeus waves his black eyebrows:
Kronid's fragrant hair quickly rose up
Around the immortal head; and the many-hilled Olympus shook.”

In 435 BC. The grand opening of the statue took place. The most influential people in Greece came to see Zeus. They were amazed by what they saw. The Thunderer's eyes sparkled brightly. It seemed as if lightning was being born in them. The whole head and shoulders of the god sparkled with divine light. Phidias himself went into the depths of the temple and from there watched the enthusiastic audience. In order for the head and shoulders of the Thunderer to sparkle, he ordered a rectangular pool to be cut down at the foot of the statue. Olive oil was poured on top of the water in it: a stream of light from the doors falls onto the dark oily surface, and the reflected rays rush upward, illuminating the shoulders and head of Zeus. There was a complete illusion that this light was pouring from God to people. They said that the Thunderer himself descended from heaven in order to pose for Phidias. The fate of Phidias himself still remains unknown. According to one version, 3 years later he was convicted and thrown into prison, where he died soon after. According to another version, he lived another 6-7 years, becoming an outcast in his old age, and died in oblivion.

A contemporary wrote:
“Did God come down to earth and show you, Phidias, his image,
Or did you yourself ascend to heaven to see God?”

They were made of gold: a cape that covered part of Zeus’s body, a scepter with an eagle, which he held in his left hand, a statue of the goddess of victory - Nike, which he held in his right hand, and a wreath of olive branches on Zeus’s head. Zeus's feet rested on a stool supported by two lions. The reliefs of the throne glorified, first of all, Zeus himself. Four dancing Nikes were depicted on the legs of the throne. Also depicted were: centaurs, lapiths, the exploits of Theseus and Hercules, frescoes depicting the battle of the Greeks with the Amazons. The base of the statue was 6 meters wide and 1 meter high. The height of the entire statue together with the pedestal was, according to various sources, from 12 to 17 meters. The impression was created “that if he (Zeus) wanted to get up from the throne, he would blow the roof off.” Zeus's eyes were the size of an adult's fist.

“God sits on a throne, his figure is made of gold and ivory, on his head he has a wreath as if made of olive branches, on his right hand he holds the goddess of victory, also made of ivory and gold. She has a bandage and a wreath on her head. In the left hand of the god is a scepter decorated with all kinds of metals. The bird sitting on the scepter is an eagle. God’s shoes and outerwear are also made of gold, and on the clothes there are images of various animals and lilies of the field.”
(Pausanias. “Description of Hellas.”)

When Phidias finished his work, he asked: “Are you satisfied, Zeus?” In response, there was a clap of thunder, and the floor in front of the throne cracked. This, presumably, meant: the Thunderer is pleased.

Zeus the Thunderer was the most important god among the Greeks. Together with the other gods - his wife and children, he lived on the high Mount Olympus. And below, at the very foot of this mountain, people built the city of Olympia, where they held sports competitions. The Greeks believed that Zeus himself bequeathed them to compete in strength, speed and dexterity. At first, only surrounding residents participated in the games, but very soon the fame of the Olympic Games spread throughout the country, and warriors began to come here. But armed people were not allowed near Olympia, explaining to them that they needed to win with strength and dexterity, and not with iron.

Wars stopped in Greece during the Olympic Games

For seven centuries, Zeus, smiling benevolently, watched the athletes, until in the 2nd century. n. e. there was no powerful earthquake that severely damaged the statue. But the games in Olympia still continued: the athletes believed that they were being helped, if not by a temple statue, then by God himself, sitting on the top of the mountain. The end of sports competitions was put in 393 by the Christian Emperor Theodosius. He believed that men should fight with weapons in their hands and kill each other, and not waste time competing in strength and dexterity.

After the Olympic Games were banned, thieves stripped the statue of Zeus, stealing gold and ivory. All that remained of the famous sculpture of Phidias was taken from Greece to the city of Constantinople, but there the wooden sculpture burned down during a strong fire. Thus one of the wonders of the world perished, but the Olympic Games founded by the Thunderer were restored and now gather athletes from different countries who are ready to measure their strength in different sports.

The statue of Zeus at Olympia is the third most important Wonder of the World, the history of which began long before its creation - in 776 BC. Then, for the first time, participants of the next Olympic Games arrived at the temple, which was built in honor of the father of the gods.

Representatives of Asia Minor, Syria and Sicily, Egypt and, of course, Great Hellas were present at the opening of the greatest event in history. The first sanctuary of Zeus was built 150 km from Athens. But over time, the Games gained more and more political weight, so the rulers of Greece decided to build a new Temple.

Temple of Zeus

Construction lasted over 15 years, and in 456 BC. the world saw one of the most monumental and beautiful Houses of Zeus. The project was developed by the famous ancient architect Lebon, whose creation had all the features of the famous Greek sanctuaries, but surpassed them in scope.

The Temple building was erected on a high rectangular platform. The roof was supported by 13 majestic columns about 10 m high and at least 2 m in diameter, and there were a total of 34 of them.

Creation of Phidias

The government of Hellas invited Phidias, a famous sculptor, to Athens, who managed to create something excellent - a statue of Zeus. The news of this work of art instantly spread throughout the ancient world, and the masterpiece took its place on the list of Wonders of the World.

The creation of the statue dates back to approximately 440 BC. The sculpture of the father of the gods was created mainly from the finest ivory. According to the description of eyewitnesses who managed to find the statue in “good health”, it had a very impressive size.

Its height was at least 15 m, the structure contained about 200 kg of gold, the modern monetary equivalent of which exceeds 8 million dollars. The discovery of the statue of Olympian Zeus falls on 435 BC.

The fate of the statue of Zeus

Historical sources claim that in the second half of the 4th century AD. The Temple of Zeus was closed by the Roman Emperor Theodosius, who was a Christian and disliked the pagan beliefs of the Greeks.

In 363, the statue was transported to Constantinople. Although some facts indicate that this architectural monument did not survive the looting and destruction of the Temple, which took place at the end of the 5th century.

In 1875, the remains of the Temple of Zeus were found, and in 1950, archaeologists discovered the workshop of Phidias. Careful research of the place where the architectural monument was found made it possible to recreate both the Temple itself and the statue of Olympian Zeus.

The story of the appearance of the statue of Zeus in Olympia was connected with sports games. These competitions were traditionally held every four years. The land of Ancient Hellas at this time became a special territory, since not only competitions were the task of the Olympic Games. One of the most important goals of their implementation was the unification of city-states, separated for various reasons. Their residents took part in competitions, competing with the strongest opponents.

Why was it decided to build the Temple of Zeus?

Since the Olympic Games are a large-scale event, which was attended by representatives from Sicily, Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt, a spacious building was needed to host them. Based on this need, the authorities of Olympia decided to build a large temple that could freely accommodate all those present, since the first sanctuary of Zeus, located 150 kilometers from Athens, was no longer suitable for such a purpose.

Construction of the temple

It took about 15 years to build the new temple. Le Bon, an architect, supervised the work. In 456, the House of Zeus was presented to local residents. It was built in the spirit of the sanctuaries of Olympia, but was significantly superior to them both in design and in size. Thus, the building of Zeus was located on a rectangular platform. 13 columns, each 2 meters in diameter, supported its roof. They reached a height of 10 meters. 34 columns were required to decorate this structure.

Statue of Zeus at Olympia: brief description

Despite the majesty of the structure, the temple would be incomplete without its deity. At the invitation of the government, the sculptor Phidias hurried to Athens. He was faced with the task of creating a sculpture of Zeus.

When the statue of Zeus at Olympia was completed, residents saw a huge sculpture, the height of which, according to various sources, ranged from 12 to 17 meters. 200 kg of gold went into making this structure. In monetary terms, its value can be estimated at more than $8 million.

The description of the statue of Zeus at Olympia can be given as follows. The deity revered by the Olympians occupied a throne made of ebony, precious stones, gold and ivory. The branches of an olive tree crowned the head of the Thunderer. It was a symbol of peace. The statue of Zeus itself in Olympia is made of pink ivory, so it seemed realistic and alive. The Thunderer held the figure of the goddess Nike in one hand, and with the other he leaned on a scepter decorated with a golden eagle.

The statue of Zeus at Olympia (photo below), installed on a dais, corresponded in height to a four-story building. It’s amazing how accurately Phidias was able to calculate its dimensions, because the sculpture almost rested on the ceiling, but did not touch it. On the throne, the majestic Zeus sat naked to the waist, but the lower part of his body was covered with a golden cape, which was decorated with drawings of animals and flowers. On the bench stood the feet of God. A throne was placed on a pedestal. The dimensions of the pedestal were also impressive (9.5x6.5 m). This is the statue of Zeus at Olympia.

Throne Decoration

The master approached the decoration of the throne no less responsibly. It was covered with images containing mythological scenes. There were four goddesses Nike on the legs of the throne. The crossbars connecting them depicted scenes of wars or sports competitions. Phidias's brother, Master Panenom, was responsible for the quality of the painted work done on the throne. The scenes conveyed with the help of his talent involved images of deities known to the Greeks: Zeus himself, Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, Hera, Hercules, Poseidon, Achilles, Apollo, Prometheus.

The impression made by the statue of Zeus at Olympia

There were no limits to the admiration of the parishioners, since the frame of the statue was covered with ivory plates acting as skin, and the robe was made of pure gold. The joints between the materials were so carefully hidden that this sculpture looked like a monolithic object. When people looked at the deity, it seemed that he would break through the roof of the temple if he suddenly rose from his throne. Anticipating the countless number of people who wanted to admire Zeus, the builders built special platforms along each of the walls. Every person who came to the temple could see the face of the deity as close as possible.

The greatness that the statue of Zeus in Olympia inspired (photo below) was so amazing that the person standing next to him experienced two opposite feelings at the same time. It was an animal fear of the deity in front of him, to which was mixed awe. The pilgrims, who were the most impressionable, fell at the feet of Zeus and for a long time did not dare to raise their heads, afraid to feel his stern gaze.

Swimming pool located at the foot of the statue

At the foot of the statue, by order of Phidias, a swimming pool was built. It was filled first with water and then with olive oil (on top). The light coming through the open doors and falling onto the pool was reflected in the oily surface, mysteriously enveloping the shoulders and face of the sculpture. Due to regular, thorough treatment with olive oil, the entire figure of the god shone. This was done in order to avoid cracks appearing on the ivory, since this material was sensitive to moisture. The priests carried out this treatment every day. The oil, according to Pausanias, was extremely useful for the statue, as it protected it from damage that the swampy air of Altis could bring with it to the temple. The floor in front of the sculpture was covered with black marble. A raised strip of Parian marble bordered this separate space. Its function was to delay the draining oil.

Gifts that were presented to the statue

Feeling proud of his creation, its creator, Phidias, loved to hide in the depths of the temple, secretly observing the reaction of visitors. The statue of Zeus at Olympia left no one indifferent. It was especially pleasant for Phidias to watch gifts being presented to the sculpture. There was no special place provided for this purpose, so they were hung directly on the throne or even on Zeus himself. The news about the beautiful statue, which became a landmark of Olympia and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, quickly spread around the world, passing from mouth to mouth.

Attempts to steal the statue

Emperor Caligula, knowing about the existence of this masterpiece, ordered his subordinates to bring a statue of Zeus from Greece, as well as images of other gods that had artistic value. He wanted to take away the heads of the deities and put his own in their place. Paul Aemilius, the conqueror of Greece, also planned to take a statue of Zeus to Rome. However, neither Paul nor Caligula succeeded - the giant wonder of the world continued to remain in its place. According to legend, the statue simply burst into laughter during an attempt to steal it, and the frightened workers sent by the overlords fled in horror.

Restoration of sculpture

The sculpture of the deity has undergone restoration at different times. In the Hellenistic era they were carried out by Damathon of Messenia, a sculptor. After being damaged by lightning, the statue was restored under Julius Caesar. History knows several attempts to steal some of its parts. At one time, the facts of the disappearance of the figure of an athlete and two golden locks of the god were described by Pausanias and Lucian.

How did the statue die?

In general, for almost 800 years, the temple’s parishioners were delighted with the statue of Zeus. However, when the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, who converted to the Christian faith, came to power, sports competitions were banned in Olympia, as they were considered a pagan event. For the same reason it was closed in the middle of the 3rd century AD. e. Temple of Zeus. It ceased to be of cultural value. Looters were rampant, stripping the gold, precious stones and ivory that covered the statue of Zeus. Those in power decided to keep it. Thus, in 363, the statue of Olympian Zeus was moved to Constantinople. However, during a fire in the palace of the Roman emperor in the 5th century, this creation of Phidias burned down.

Discoveries made at the site of the Temple of Zeus

A group of French archaeologists in 1829 excavated the site of the supposed Temple of Zeus, which housed a statue of Olympian Zeus. They found the outlines of the building itself, as well as some parts of sculptures and fragments of bas-reliefs on the theme of the labors of Hercules. The discovered exhibits are of great historical value. You can see them in the Louvre in Paris.

Olympia was visited again by German archaeologists 46 years later. They were a little more lucky - fragments of sculptures, the foundation of a temple, and also a pool were discovered.

The attention of German archaeologists conducting excavations in Olympia was also attracted by the remains of an ancient building, which was rebuilt into a Christian Byzantine church. After examining it, they were convinced that it was in this place that Phidias’s workshop was located (its photo is presented below). This stone structure was slightly smaller in size than the temple itself. Among other things, tools of jewelers and sculptors, as well as the remains of a foundry were discovered here. The most interesting finds were made in the pit where craftsmen had been dumping rejected parts and waste for many centuries. Here they found cast forms of Zeus's toga, iron and bronze nails, many plates made of ivory, as well as the bottom of a jug with the words “belonging to Phidias” scratched on it.

The ruins of the temple remain an attractive place for numerous tourists to this day. However, the former mystery and mystery is not felt when you are here. All that has reached our contemporaries from antiquity is a few half-destroyed columns. But once upon a time there was a majestic statue of Zeus in Olympia at this place. The summaries of the reports of the excavations carried out and the objects found, of course, give only a superficial idea of what the site looks like today. Many tourists come here to experience history for themselves.

Zeus statue in Olympia

The statue of Olympian Zeus is one of the wonders of the world. She was created around 430 BC. Phidias of Athens, great sculptor of the 5th century BC. e. for the temple at Olympia. According to the Greeks themselves, this is the greatest creation of Phidias. It is believed that the greatness and beauty of the image of Zeus was revealed to Phidias in the verses of the Iliad.

The figure of the main Greek deity sitting on the throne was twenty meters high (according to other sources - fourteen meters), which is equal to a six-story building. For the first time in Greek art, Phidias created the image of a merciful god. It is possible that in his right hand he held the figure of the goddess of victory Nike, in his left - a symbol of power - a scepter. It was a chryso-elephantine statue. The face and body of the statue of Zeus are made of ivory (in Greek - "elephas"). A cloak of gold ("chrysos") is thrown over his left shoulder. The chryso-elephantine technique was considered the pinnacle of art. The overlay of gold and ivory plates on wood required the finest craftsmanship.The great art of the sculptor was combined with the painstaking art of the jeweler.

The statue of Zeus stood for 900 years. The statue was destroyed by the German tribe of the Goths, who ravaged Greece.

Phidias (about 500 - after 430), an outstanding ancient Greek architect, sculptor and painter. Pericles' chief assistant during the reconstruction of the Acropolis in Athens. The author of the famous huge statues: Athena Promachos (Athena the Warrior) on the Acropolis in bronze, Olympian Zeus and Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin) in gold and ivory. Under his leadership, the interior of the Parthenon was decorated with sculptures. Fidia's works are among the highest achievements of world art. They are distinguished by the beauty of spirit and the strength of life.

The statue of Zeus was located in the temple, the length of which reached 64 meters, the width - 28, and the height of the interior was about 20 meters. Zeus, sitting on a throne at the end of the hall, supported the ceiling with his head. The topless Zeus was made of wood. His body was covered with plates of pinkish, warm ivory, his clothes were covered with gold sheets, in one hand he held a golden statue of Nike, the goddess of victory, and with the other he leaned on a high staff. Zeus was so majestic that when Phidias completed his work, he approached the statue, as if floating above the black marble floor of the temple, and asked: “Are you satisfied, Zeus?” In response, there was a clap of thunder, and the floor at the feet of the statue cracked. Zeus was pleased

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The tattoo of Olympian Zeus is the only wonder of the world that ended up on the European continent.

None of the temples of Hellas seemed to the Greeks worthy of the title of miracle. And, choosing Olympia as a miracle, they remembered not the temple, not the sanctuary, but only the statue that stood inside.

Zeus had a very direct relationship with Olympia. Every resident of those places remembered very well that it was here that Zeus defeated the bloodthirsty Cronus, his own father, who, in fear that his sons would take away his power, began to devour them. Zeus saved himself just as fairy-tale heroes of all nations saved themselves: there will always be a kind soul who will take pity on the baby. So Cronus’s wife, Rhea, slipped her husband a large stone instead of Zeus, which he swallowed.

Obviously, Krohn swallowed his children whole.

When Zeus grew up and defeated his father, he freed all his brothers and sisters. Hades, Athena, Poseidon...

The Olympic Games, in particular, were established in honor of this event and began with sacrifices to Zeus.

The main shrine of Olympia was the temple of Zeus with his statue by the great Phidias. Phidias was famous not only for the statue of Olympian Zeus, but also for the statue of Athena in the Parthenon and the reliefs on its walls. Together with Pericles, Phidias developed a plan for the reconstruction and decoration of Athens, which, however, cost Phidias dearly: the enemies of his powerful friend and patron became the enemies of the sculptor. Their revenge was banal and dirty, but the townsfolk craved a scandal: Phidias was accused of concealing gold and ivory during the construction of the statue of Athena in the Parthenon.

The fame of the sculptor turned out to be stronger than the spiteful critics. The inhabitants of Elis paid bail for the prisoner, and the Athenians considered this excuse sufficient to release Phidias to work in Olympia. Phidias remained in Olympia for several years, constructing a statue - syncretic in material and known to us from descriptions and images on coins.

There are descriptions of the chair of Zeus, which was decorated with ivory bas-reliefs and golden statues of the gods. The side walls of the throne were painted by the artist Panen, a relative and assistant of Phidias.

Subsequently, the Byzantine emperors transported the statue to Constantinople with all precautions. Although they were Christians, no one raised a hand against Zeus. Even Christian fanatics, enemies of pagan beauty, did not dare to destroy the statue. At first, the Byzantine emperors allowed themselves to appreciate high art. But, to the deep satisfaction of Christian preachers, God punished his pagan rival, thereby punishing the emperors who had strayed from the righteous path. In the 5th century AD, the palace of Emperor Theodosius II burned down. The wooden colossus became a prey to fire: only a few charred bone plates and sparkles of molten gold remained from the creation of Phidias.

And so the seventh wonder of the world perished...

When no trace remains of a monument, there is a temptation (often motivated) to attribute its existence to human imagination. The statue of Zeus did not escape a similar fate, especially since no copies of it survived.

In order to make sure that the statue existed and was exactly as the Ruins of the Temple of Zeus were described by contemporaries, it was necessary to find at least indirect evidence of its creation.

Already in our time an attempt was made to find the workshop of Phidias.

The construction of such a statue required many years of work, and therefore Phidias and his many assistants needed a solid room. Zeus statue

Not a block of marble that can be left outdoors for the winter.

The attention of German archaeologists conducting excavations in Olympia was attracted by the remains of an ancient building, rebuilt into a Byzantine Christian church. Having examined the building, they were convinced that it was here that the workshop was located - a stone structure, slightly inferior in size to the temple itself. In it, in particular, they found the tools of sculptors and jewelers and the remains of a foundry “shop.” But the most interesting finds were made in the vicinity of the workshop - in a pit where, for many hundreds of years, craftsmen dumped waste and rejected parts of statues. There they managed to find cast forms of the toga of Zeus, many ivory plates, chipped semi-precious stones, bronze and iron nails - in general, complete and indisputable confirmation that it was in this workshop that Phidias made the statue of Zeus, and exactly as the ancients said. And to top off all the evidence, in a pile of garbage, archaeologists found the bottom of a jug, on which the words “Belong to Phidias” were scratched.

The city of Olympia was located in the northwestern part of Hellas, the fame of which spread far beyond the borders of the country. According to legend, it was here that Zeus entered into a fight with his father, the bloodthirsty and treacherous Cronus, who devoured his children, since the oracle predicted his death at the hands of his son. Saved by his mother, the mature Zeus was victorious and forced Cronus to burp his brothers and sisters. In honor of this victory, the Olympic Games were established, first held in 776 BC. e. More than two centuries passed, and in 456 BC. e. A temple dedicated to Zeus appeared in Olympia, which became the main shrine of the city. The temple was decorated with a statue of God 12 m 40 cm high, the grandeur and beauty of which so captured the imagination of contemporaries that it was recognized as a new wonder of the world. The creator of Olympian Zeus is the famous sculptor Phidias (beginning of the 5th century BC - c. 432-431 BC). The writings of ancient historians, archaeological finds (small copies, images on coins) brought to us the sculptural image of the ancient Greek deity. Phidias depicted Zeus sitting on a throne. An olive wreath adorned the head of the thunder god, a beard framed his face in wavy strands, and a cloak flowed from his left shoulder, covering part of his legs. The sculptor gave the appearance of Zeus an expression of kindness and deep humanity. The figure of Zeus was made of wood, and parts made of ivory and gold were attached to this base using bronze and iron nails and special hooks (this technique is called chrysoelephantine). The face, hands, and other naked parts of the body were made of ivory, the hair and beard, wreath, cloak and sandals were made of gold, and the eyes were made of precious stones. The throne was made, according to some sources, from cedar, according to others - from ebony and covered with gold and ivory. The legs of the throne were decorated with figures of dancing Nike, the goddess of Victory. The arms of the throne were supported by sphinxes, and its back was decorated with Charites - the goddess of Beauty, daughters of Zeus and Hera. In front of the pedestal, depicting the scene of the birth of Aphrodite, there was a small pool lined with blue Eleuxin stone and white marble. It served, according to the ancient Greek writer Pausanias (2nd century AD), to drain the remaining olive oil, which was regularly lubricated with the statue; Descendants highly valued the creation of Phidias. The famous orator and politician of Rome Cicero (1st century BC) called Olympian Zeus the embodiment of beauty; The Roman writer and scientist Guy Pliny the Elder (1st century AD) considered the sculpture an incomparable masterpiece. At the end of the 4th century. - early 5th century n. e. the statue was transported to Constantinople: the Byzantine emperors collected all the best works of art. In the 5th century n. e. The palace of Emperor Theodosius II (401-450) burned down, only a few charred bone plates and pieces of molten gold remained from Olympian Zeus.