The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were a list of remarkable constructions of classical antiquity. These marvels were chosen for their architectural and artistic beauty and historical and cultural significance. The list of the Seven Wonders has evolved over time, and different sources have provided varying accounts.
The Great Pyramid of Giza: Located on the Giza Plateau in Egypt, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the only Wonder of the Ancient World that still exists today. It was built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, around 2560 BC,
for Pharaoh Khufu. The pyramid originally stood at 481 feet, estimated to weigh 5.7 million tons, with each of the 2.3 million blocks of stone in its structure weighing around 3 tons. It was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Described by ancient historians like Strabo and Philo of Byzantium, the Hanging Gardens were said to be an extraordinary terraced garden built in the ancient city of Babylon (near present-day Hillah, Babil, Iraq).
The gardens were supposedly constructed by King Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife Amytis around 600 BC, and they featured plants, trees, and flowers in an elaborate architectural setting.
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia: Created by the Greek sculptor Phidias around 430 BC, the Statue of Zeus was housed in the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, Greece. This massive gold and ivory statue depicted the god Zeus seated on a throne and was approximately 43 feet tall. It was considered one of the greatest works of classical Greek art. It was disassembled and reassembled at Constantinople; later destroyed by fire.
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus: Located in the ancient city of Ephesus (near Selçuk, Turkey), this temple was dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis. It was constructed in the 6th century BC and was known for its grandeur and size.
The Artemesium was famous not only for its great size, over 350 by 180 feet but also for the magnificent works of art that adorned it. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times before its final destruction by a mob in 401 AD.
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus: The Mausoleum was a grand tomb built for Mausolus, a satrap (governor) of the Persian Empire, and his wife Artemisia II. Located in Halicarnassus (modern-day Bodrum, Turkey), it was completed around 350 BC. The Mausoleum was an architectural masterpiece and gave rise to the term “mausoleum” for monumental tombs.
The Colossus of Rhodes: Erected on the Greek island of Rhodes around 280 BC, the Colossus of Rhodes was a gigantic bronze statue of the sun god Helios. It stood approximately 108 feet tall and was one of the tallest statues of the ancient world. It collapsed during an earthquake in 226 BC. There has been a debate among historians about whether the statue was standing with one foot on either side of the Rhodes harbor.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria: Also known as the Pharos of Alexandria, this lighthouse was located on Pharos, near Alexandria, Egypt. Built during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (280-247 BC), it was estimated to be around 330-430 feet tall, at the time of construction was the second tallest manmade structure in existence, apart from the pyramids of Giza. The lighthouse was used to guide sailors into the harbor with mirrors and fire.
Board Game
You are the leader of one of the 7 great cities of the Ancient World. Gather resources, develop commercial routes, and affirm your military supremacy. Build your city and erect an architectural wonder that will transcend future times. 7 Wonders lasts three ages. In each age, players receive seven cards from a particular deck, choose one of those cards, and then pass the remainder to an adjacent player.
Players reveal their cards simultaneously, paying resources if needed collecting resources, or interacting with other players in various ways. (Players have individual boards with special powers on which to organize their cards, and the boards are double-sided).
Each player then chooses another card from the deck they were passed, and the process repeats until players have six cards in play from that age. After three ages, the game ends. In essence, 7 Wonders is a card development game. Some cards have immediate effects, while others provide bonuses or upgrades later in the game.
Some cards provide discounts on future purchases. Some provide military strength to overpower your neighbors and others give nothing but victory points. Each card is played immediately after being drafted, so you’ll know which cards your neighbor is receiving and how her choices might affect what you’ve already built up.
Cards are passed left-right-left over the three ages, so you need to keep an eye on the neighbors in both directions. Though the box of earlier editions is listed as being for 3–7 players, there is an official 2-player variant included in the instructions.
Video Game
7 Wonders of the Ancient World is a puzzle video game. It was developed by Hot Lava Games’ Russian studio and published by MumboJumbo in February 2007. Players take the task of reconstructing the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
In each wonder, there are 5 to 7 sub-levels of runes that players switch to form a row of 3 or more runes. There are two modes of play: Free Play and Quest Mode. In Free Play, players can choose to play any level they have completed in Quest Mode. There were several sequels with the final game in the series being 7 Wonders: Ancient Alien Makeover, released in 2012 only on PC.
Further Reading
Sources
- “What Are 5 Incredible Facts about the Great Pyramid of Giza?” (Jul 8, 2023) https://www.thecollector.com/what-are-5-incredible-facts-about-the-great-pyramid-of-giza/
- Temple of Artemis https://www.britannica.com/topic/Temple-of-Artemis-temple-Ephesus-Turkey
- “The Colossus of Rhodes: Six Facts About the Wonder of Ancient World” (June 27, 2023) https://greekreporter.com/2023/06/27/colossus-rhodes-wonder-ancient-world/
- “Lighthouse of Alexandria: Purpose & Facts” https://study.com/academy/lesson/why-was-the-lighthouse-of-alexandria-built.html
- “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Wonders_of_the_Ancient_World
