History and Tradition:
The island of Rhodes is found at the crossroad of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. It is also found on the marine routes which connected West with Orient, since the early antiquity. Being such a meeting point, the island attracted various populations and was influenced by several cultures during its long history. Every people who arrived at Rhodes, peacefully or after winning a war, in mass or in small groups, have left their traces on the beautiful island. The result of this diversity has always ended up to this interesting blend that has proved very persistent and still exists today. Rhodes had always been – and still is – a place rich both in natural and in human resources. So Rhodes is not only known as a destination offering quality cheap holidays, but is also known as destination with remarkable cultural heritage

Mythology
According to Greek Mythology , Rhode was the elder of the Oceanids, one of the daughters of Oceanos (Ocean) and Tythis. Later on, it was thought that she was a daughter of Poseidon (Neptunus) and Alia, or of Poseidon and Amphitritae. She was married to the god Helios (Sun) and gave her name to the island of Rhodes, whose she and her husband were patron gods and where it was situated the center of her cult. It is thought that the name Rhode is owed to the pink hibiscus which was native to island and was similar to a rose, which is also etymologically related to her name (“rodon” in Greek is the rose).
The Telchines, the first inhabitants of the island came to settle here, when Helios created the island of Rhodes and had seven sons and one daughter with Rhode. The girl, called Electryo, died a virgin, whereas the sons reigned in the island and became famous rulers and astronomers.
Rhode was worshipped on the island not only by her own name, but also as Halia and Leucothea.

The birth of the island of Rhodes
The island of Rhodes is related to several myths, some of them stated in the ancient writers and others surviving in the local tradition. Most of them present a version of the creation of the island. One of the most popular myths in antiquity, has been preserved thanks to the poet Pindarus. According to this myth, when Zeus and the rest Olympian gods came best of their fight with the Titans and Giants, decided to divide the world. When everybody had already taken one’s part, they realized that they had forgotten the god Helios (Sun), who was absent during the division. Thus, Zeus, the king of gods decided to offer him the first land that would emerge from the waters. At this very moment the island of Rhodes, green and beautiful, emerged from the blue sea of the Aegean. Helios, impressed by the breathtaking beauty of the island, sent to it light and heat and eversince became the protector god of the island. As the myth states, it is due to this protection and help that Rhodes achieved to become the famous island we know during the Classical and Hellenistic periods.

Colossus of Rhodes
The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was a construction of unique technical and artistic value.
After they had successfully resisted and repulsed the attack of the Macedonian general Demetrius Poliorkitis (“the besieger”), in 305 b.C., the Rhodian people thought that their old god Helios (sun), had crucially contributed to their victory.
So, they decided to construct a unique statue, similar to which no one would have existed so far, and entrusted the construction to Chares, a sculptor from Lindos, student of the famous sculptor Lyssipos. It took more than twelve years to accomplish the work, which finished in circa 292 to 280 b.C. The sculpture was financed from the spoils obtained after the retreat of Demetrius. As ancient writers cite, the value of the spoils was more than 300 talents, a really colossal amount.
According to ancient sources the sculpture was higher than 32 meters and was erected somewhere in the port of the city of Rhodes (Mandraki), possibly at the entrance. The statue had its legs in either side of the mouth of the port and ships were passing under it. Based upon depictions of the statue on coins, modern scholars try to reconstruct a reliable image of it. The statue possibly held a torch or a sword in his hand.
The proud statue would not stand for a long time; in circa 224 b.C., due to a destructive earthquake, the statue snapped at the knees and fell over onto the land. The Rodhians considered the destruction as a divine sign and refuse to erect it anew. The parts of the glorious statue remained on earth for some 800 years. In 1635 Arab invaders, who pillaged the island, sold the pieces to Arab merchants as scrap. According to the legend, the merchant who bought it , an Arab from Edessa of Syria, had needed 900 camels to transport the statue. It is also said that for many years after, pieces of the statue continued to turn up for sale for years, after being found along the caravan route.
The famous statue kept on stimulating fantasy and influencing Art and writings, up to our times. Several authors and poets, Shakespear among them have written about Colossus, and numerous painters have depicted the statue in various works. The most widely known reference is certainly the poem of the American poet, Emma Lazarus, written in 1883 and inscribed on a plaque at the Statue of Liberty in New York City's harbor.


Alternative departures:
Rhodes holidays from London
Rhodes holidays from Midlands
Rhodes holidays from Newcastle
Rhodes holidays from Manchester
Rhodes holidays from Belfast
Rhodes holidays from Scotland
Rhodes holidays from Bristol and Cardiff