What were the original 7 wonders of the ancient world?

The 7 Wonders of the World were the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Olympian Zeus, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Who wrote down the list of the 7 Wonders of the ancient world?

Diodorus Siculus (l. 1st century BCE) wrote the definitive list of the Seven Wonders in his Bibliotheca historica.

Do any of the ancient Seven Wonders still exist?

Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only the Great Pyramid at Giza still exists.

The Seven Wonders Timeline

Q: Who are the writers who chose the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?

The best-known writers who listed the Seven Wonders are Philo of Byzantium, Antipater of Sidon, Diodorus Siculus, Herodotus, Strabo, and Callimachus of Cyrene. Of these, Diodorus' list has become the "official" record of the ancient wonders.

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Definition

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were seven impressive structures famously listed by ancient writers including Philo of Byzantium, Antipater of Sidon, Diodorus Siculus, Herodotus, Strabo, and Callimachus of Cyrene, among others. The medieval historian Bede, and other medieval writers, also compiled their own lists. The standard list of the seven ancient wonders includes:

More about: The Seven Wonders

Timeline

c. 2560 BCE
The Great Pyramid of Giza is constructed by Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops).
c. 2510 BCE
Pyramid of Menkaure is built at Giza.
605 BCE - 562 BCE
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, according to tradition, are built by Nebuchadnezzar II.
c. 550 BCE - c. 430 BCE
Construction of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
c. 430 BCE
The cult statue of Zeus by Phidias is dedicated in the Temple of Zeus, Olympia. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
c. 367 BCE - 350 BCE
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is built, tomb of Mausolus, ruler of Caria.
21 Jul 356 BCE
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is destroyed by a deliberate fire.
c. 355 BCE - c. 330 BCE
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is rebuilt/restored.
c. 300 BCE - c. 280 BCE
The Lighthouse of Alexandria is built, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
c. 292 BCE - c. 280 BCE
The Colossus of Rhodes, a representation of Helios, is built in Rhodes town harbour, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
228 BCE - 226 BCE
The Colossus of Rhodes is toppled by an earthquake.
225 BCE
Philo of Byzantium records The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
c. 267 CE
The Goths plunder and destroy the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
395 CE
The statue of Zeus at Olympia is removed to Constantinople.
401 CE
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is destroyed by a Christian mob.
475 CE
According to the Byzantine historian Zonaras, the statue of Zeus from Olympia is destroyed by a fire in Constantinople.
c. 654 CE
According to Theophanes, a Jewish merchant transports the pieces of the fallen Colossus of Rhodes to Edessa for melting down.
956 CE
The Lighthouse of Alexandria partially collapses following earthquake damage sustained in 950 CE.
c. 1100 CE
A domed mosque is added to the repaired Lighthouse of Alexandria.
c. 1330 CE
The Lighthouse of Alexandria definitively collapses, probably due to an earthquake.
c. 1494 CE
The Knights of Saint John of Malta use parts of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in the walls of the castle of Saint Peter at Bodrum.

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