Rhodes Earthquake

The Colossus only stood for 56 years before it was levelled by an earthquake in 226 BC. The force of the earthquake was such the statue snapped off at the knees and fell over on to the land.

Ptolemy III offered to pay for the reconstruction of the Colossus, but the Rhodians refused, believing that they had offended Helios.

Computer simulations have since revealed that the earthquake caused a cascade failure in the rivets holding the Colossus together, causing the arms to separate at the shoulder and the knees to buckle.




