The Colossus of Rhodes was made of shaped bronze plates fastened to an iron framework. It was said to be 70 cubits (105 feet [32 metres]) tall, and it depicted the sun god Helios. Many representations of the statue depict the figure as nude or semi-nude, except for a cloak, and a representation in one relief suggests that the figure was shielding its eyes with one hand.
What did the Colossus of Rhodes look like?
Is ancient Greece a country?
No, ancient Greece was a civilization. The Greeks had cultural traits, a religion, and a language in common, though they spoke many dialects. The basic political unit was the city-state. Conflict between city-states was common, but they were capable of banding together against a common enemy, as they did during the Persian Wars (492–449 BCE). Powerful city-states such as Athens and Sparta exerted influence beyond their borders but never controlled the entire Greek-speaking world.