The Seven Wonders Essay, Research Paper
As time goes on, we age, just as the magnificent things we make. To often do we forget how far we have come over the ages. The purpose of this paper is to identify the seven ancient wonders of the ancient world, and how they have played a vital role in the evolution of man.
A long time ago there was a man that went by the name of Philo of Byzantium (Encarta 97 I). Around 146 bc. he wrote a book that went by the name of Perition hepta. This was the first book concerning the seven wonders. There is another book named Antipater of Sidan. This book came a little after and listed the Walls of Babylon instead of the Pharos of Alexandria. (Britannica I)
These books both listed different wonders with different names to them. Many people wonder why there is only seven. Because there was also things such as The Great Wall of China and the ancient American civilizations. They seemed to only list things within the Roman Empire (Encarta 97 I)
The name ?the seven wonders of the ancient world? is also known as the ?seven prominent sights of the ancient world? (Britannica I) the Byzantium culture was originated from what is now Constantinople. Their culture was originated by their location by the Black Sea. And that area was a big port so they had to trade a lot there. This is probably where and how the book was traded and the ideas of Philo got to the other parts the world then.
When people think about the seven wonders they usually think first about the pyramids. The most likely reason for this is because they are, in fact, the only surviving wonder still in existence. And another cool thing about it is, the pyramids of Giza are the oldest, and most impressive wonders of all. The Great Pyramid of Giza?s schematics is overwhelmingly precise. The walls of the King Kufu?s chamber door were cut with such accuracy, that the error rates in the corners were at 0.01 of an inch. It took about 100,000 workers 20 years to construct the Great Pyramid, and only during the Nile flood season (History of Giza I).
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon or the Walls of Babylon (depending on what book you look at) was in fact, not really hanging gardens at all. Because water transportation was so difficult of a job, the distance of the water had to be short. So they found a high up source of water, and used primitive forms of aqueducts and brought it to the Babylon Palace and the palace was built for the reason for king Nebuchadnezzar to make his queen feel more confortable. Because she was from the country and being in a big city of Babylon then was a big change, so she was homesick. And so the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was created. (Grolier 2)
The Statue of Zeus was a third ancient wonder. It got it?s position by it?s ?Doric-Style temple? by having a really large statue covered with precious stones and special materials to remember the ?God of Gods?. It was built in what was the city of Olympia and is now located about 150 km west of present-day Athens (Statue of Zeus 1).
Another temple that became one of the wonders was the Temple of Artemis. It of course was built to honor the Greek god Artemis. It was built around the sixth century BC. And the architect was a guy named Chesiphron. But it was mainly a joint effort of twelve Ionian cities. (Grolier Encyclopedia 1)
Around 292-280 BC. The proud Rhode citizens built a one hundred and twenty foot tall statue that stood on the side of the Rhode Harbor. The statue was made of bronze and its figure was the patron Helios. It took Rhodesians 12 years to construct the statue. And Chares of Lindus designed it (Grolier Enc. 2).
Another Egyptian wonder, but constructed many years after the pyramids, was the Pharos of Alexandria. It was the first lighthouse ever constructed. It?s purpose was to light the shores and light a path to land for sailors during the Roman age. It served as a prototype for lots of others, but in fact was the largest lighthouse too. It was located on Pharos Island. Its architects were Ptolemy originally, and then it was later finished by his successor in about 280 BC. The way it projected light was by having a huge metal mirror above a fire at an angle so it would reflect a giant fire high into the night sky, that could be seen for about 50 km (Britannica 1).
The only wonder that remains in existence is the Pyramids. But they are the oldest too. Probably their location is what has saved them, out in the middle of a desert. The only thing that is going to destroy the pyramids is time itself. So, slowly, but surely, they will be forgotten also (Giza Pyramids 1)
The emperor Theodorus removed the Temple of Zeus. When it was relocated to Constantinople where it lasted a little while, a civil war broke out and it burned to the ground in a fire in 475 AD (Zeus 1).
The Temple of Artemis lasted about two hundred years before it was burned down in the rebellion of 336 BC. It was then rebuilt with a higher base just to be destroyed again by the Goth invasion in 263 AD (Encarta 1).
The rest of the wonders were destroyed by natural causes of time, along with natural disasters.
Most people know about the seven wonders, but they only know about the pyramids. So the purpose of this paper was to help the reader to remember the seven wonders, so that he will never forget how far technology has come. Hopefully we can remember how to archieve great things by unification. When people put their heads together, they can achieve virtually anything.