Question 1

What is Philo of Byzantium's On the Seven Wonders?

Accepted Answer

Philo of Byzantium's On the Seven Wonders is a list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World written in 225 BCE. It includes the Hanging Garden, the Pyramids at Memphis, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Colossus of Rhodes, the Walls of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (though the description of the mausoleum has been lost).

Question 2

Why is Philo of Byzantium's On the Seven Wonders important?

Accepted Answer

Philo of Byzantium's On the Seven Wonders is important because it is the earliest extant list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and is an example of how various ancient writers chose different "Wonders" for their lists.

Question 3

What is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?

Accepted Answer

The oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the Great Pyramid at Giza, which is also the only one still standing today.

Question 4

Who was Philo of Byzantium and did he really visit all Seven Wonders?

Accepted Answer

Philo of Byzantium (l. 3rd century BCE) was an engineer at the Library of Alexandria, Egypt. It is unclear whether he visited all Seven Wonders or drew upon earlier manuscripts, now lost, for his descriptions of the sites.

Philo of Byzantium's On the Seven Wonders

Select Language

Key Languages

Other Languages