Colossus of Rhodes Rhodes was the capital of the Greek Island, Rhodes and was built in 408 B.C. The Island was a natural harbor and became well known in the ancient times. Rhodes was located off the southeastern tip of Asia Minor where the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea attach. It stood high up overlooking the city at a height of 105 feet high. The Colossus of Rhodes is a statue of the god, Helios. It was created to show victory and freedom after the Rhodians had to fight to keep Demitrus from taking over Rhodes. The statue was made of melted down war machines that the Rhodians enemy had left. Pliny, a historian who lived several centuries after the colossus was built, said construction took about twelve years. The Greek sculptor Chares worked on it. Chares created the structure with stone blocks and 7 ½ short tons of iron rods. The iron rods were used to support the hollow statue. The Colossus of Rhodes was through being built in 280 B.C. An earthquake knocked down a majority of the seventh wonder in 224 B.C. Statue of Liberty & Colossus of Rhodes >> Ancient Wonders >> Natural Wonders >>