Siege of Rhodes

In 305 BC, Demetrius, son of the powerful general Antigonus, laid siege to the island city of Rhodes, which had refused to support his father against Ptolemy of Egypt. Demetrius brought a huge force of ships, soldiers and engineers, along with some of the most advanced siege machines ever built. The most famous was the Helepolis, meaning taker of cities, a gigantic armored siege tower more than 40 meters tall, moved on wheels and packed with catapults. The people of Rhodes resisted fiercely. They strengthened their walls, freed and armed slaves who fought for the city, and received supplies from Ptolemy. After about a year, the siege failed, and Demetrius agreed to a peace treaty in 304 BC. Although he failed, his remarkable siege machines earned him the nickname Poliorcetes, meaning the Besieger. According to tradition, the Rhodians sold the siege equipment left behind and used the money to build a colossal bronze statue of their patron god Helios. It became the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.