The Colossus of Rhodes, a 30 meter statue dedicated to the God Helios, the protector of the city, is considered one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. It was commissioned by the Rhodian sculptor Cares of Lindos, who was a disciple of Lisipo. However, it was Laques, the neighbor of the village Rhodes of Lindos, who was the one that finished it in 292 BC.
This statue was a tribute to the victory of the Rhodians, led by Plotomeo I against the invasion of the army of Demetrio Poliocertes. He was a conqueror of cities, who used siege towers called Heliopolis with the purpose of attacking walled fortresses.
The enormous bronze statue had a torch at the top of its elevated arm. It pointed eastward towards the sunrise, which caused the majestic statue to be used as a lighthouse. Some historians also speculate that there were incandescent burning braziers at the top of its head or inside its head in the eye holes.
Furthermore there are speculations that exist about the fuel that was used to keep them incandescent. It could have been wood, but it was scarce on the island. It was used solely to heat, to cook, or to make naval constructions.
Thus, the first form of lighting was through olive oil from the omnipotent olive trees that covered ancient Greece. These trees served to light the torch of the impetuous statue of the Colossus of Rhodes.
The oil was placed in a lamp and a piece of leather or animal skin served as a wick. The olive oil that made the Colossus of Rhodes shine possessed unbeatable properties for this purpose, since it burned slowly and did not give off odors. It also had low volatility and generated less smoke and ash than other oils.
In addition to being a dedication to the Sun God and serving as a lighthouse, this statue served as a weapon of war. During the most feared invasion of Alexandria, fireballs were thrown at the invading ships from the inside of the statue’s head.
