TEMPLE OF ZEUS

Undoubtedly the most interesting monument to the Olympia site: a colossal temple dedicated to Zeus, king of the gods of Olympus. Its construction lasted from 470 to 456 BC and was carried out thanks to the booty of the war of Elis against Pisa. The columns were in coquillière stone, but the tiles as well as the gargoyles-headed gargoyles were in Paros marble.

The temple was doric, with 6 columns in front and 13 on the long sides. The métopes and triglyphes of the temple were without decoration, but in 146 B.C. General Roman Mummius deposited shields of loot taken during the war against the Achéens.

The sculpted pediments are now visible at the museum. The temple was reached by an inclined plane preserved. Inside, columns supported métopes decorated sculptures representing Ruins's works. The temple of Zeus has suffered a tragic fate: It was burned in 426, on the order of Théodose II and destroyed in the th century by earthquakes, as well as other monuments of the sanctuary. You can still see the columns and other architectural elements lying on the ground. But the element that makes this temple one of the most remarkable in the Greek world is that it housed the colossal statue of Zeus, work of the great sculptor Pheidias. The statue was probably carved in 432 B.C. Pheidias was condemned by the Athenians for using gold from the statue of Athena (from the Acropolis), after which he set up his workshop in Olympia where he probably stayed until the end of his life. It was known from several sources that the statue was 12,40 m high. Zeus was sitting on a throne and holding in his right hand a chryséléphantine victory and, in his left hand, a scepter made all the metals known at the time and on which an eagle was asked, symbol of divine power.

Parts of the divine body not covered by the mantle were in ivory. His coat, beard, hair and sandals were gold. His head was surrounded by an olive crown in silver. The throne was made of ebony, gold, ivory and a precious stone that the pupils of the great master Pheidias, Panénos and Colotès had adorned many mythological scenes. According to testimony, the face of Zeus was Mild and expressed the love that God wore to Men. This statue was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and raised the admiration of all living people. Arrien (th century historian) teaches us as a great misfortune to die without having seen the Zeus chryséléphantin. Legend tells us that once the work has been completed, Pheidias requested a sign of concurrence by Zeus himself. The god answered him by casting lightning on the temple without destroying it. The emperor Caligula wanted to bring the statue to Rome and replace the head of God by another to his likeness, but legend tells that when the Romans wanted to seize it, the statue burst out of laughter and broke his attackers. The work remained in place until 393 of our age and was then transported to Constantinople in 395, where it was destroyed in a fire.