Mythology says that the island of Rhodes was given to Helios by Zeus, after vanquishing the Giants and got the hold of the world. On the right hand the statue was holding a torch. It was the tallest statue of the ancient world, standing at over 30 meters of height.

Colossus of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The statue stood in its place for 54 years. During the earthquake of the year 226 BC the statue collapsed and snapped at the height of the knees with the remains falling on the ground.

Although the Rhodians had an offer to rebuild it, by the King Ptolemy III of Egypt. After asking the oracle of Delphi they were afraid that they would offend the God Sun and decided to leave it laying on the ground.

In 654 an Arab force under Muawiyah I captured Rhodes, and the remains were sold to a traveling salesman from Edessa, Mesopotamia. The buyer had the statue broken down, and transported the bronze scrap on the backs of nine hundred camels to his home. Pieces continued to turn up for sale for years, after being found along the caravan route.