The Catwalk of the gods. The Olympian Zeus and the Colossus of Rhodes as divine iconographic models in Christianity

Abstract

The statue of Zeus at Olympia by Phidias and the colossal statue of Helios at Rhodes by Chares of Lindos, two of the 7 Wonders of Antiquity and the only ones of sculptural character, became iconographic models of power, majesty and the colossal for emperors, for personified abstractions as well as for other gods. We intend to highlight the great relevance and religious influence of the most paradigmatic representations of these gods over two thousand years, thanks to having paraded in those privileged catwalks that constituted the different lists of the 7 Wonders of the ancient world. And we will do it through the analysis of these wonders, its size, clothes, accessories, positions, attributes… and how they were taken or how they influenced the images of the Christian God and the Christian Roman Emperors and later Emperors.