---
title: Phidias
author: Donald L. Wasson
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Phidias/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2022-10-26
---
# Phidias
_Authored by [Donald L. Wasson](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/DWasson/)_
Phidias (also Pheidias) was, according to his contemporaries, the most renowned of all [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) sculptors. His greatest masterpieces were completed between c. 465 and 425 BCE. Unfortunately, except through copies, no example of his work has survived. Although little is known of his early life, he rose to prominence during the rule of the statesman, commander, and orator [Pericles](https://www.worldhistory.org/pericles/) around 449 BCE in the Golden Age of [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/). Phidias is most famous for his three Athenian monuments to [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/), the virgin Greek goddess of wisdom and [war](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/), as well as the statue of [Zeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/zeus/) at the [Temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) of Zeus in [Olympia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Olympia/), one of [the Seven Wonders](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Seven_Wonders/) of the Ancient World. Supposedly, his works were so inspiring that people believed he had witnessed the majesty of the gods and revealed it to mankind through his sculptures.
### Athena in Athens
Of his youth, the only facts known about Phidias are that he was the son of Charmides (not the statesman of the same name) and a student of the Athenian sculptors Hegias and Hageladas. When Pericles came to power around 461 BCE, he initiated an extensive building program and placed Phidias, a member of his inner circle, in charge of all artistic projects. The sculptor's most celebrated works included three monuments on the [Acropolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Acropolis/) to the goddess Athena: the 9 metre (30 ft) high [bronze](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/bronze/) Athena Promachos, completed in 456 BCE and one of his earlier works; the bronze Lemnian Athena dedicated to the colonists of Lemnos; and lastly, for the [Parthenon](https://www.worldhistory.org/parthenon/), the Athena Parthenos.
According to modern research, the Athena Parthenos, begun in 447 BCE and dedicated in 438 BCE, was forty feet tall and draped in ivory with over a ton of [gold](https://www.worldhistory.org/gold/). She was dressed in a tunic, carried an aegis (a type of shield) adorned with the head of [Medusa](https://www.worldhistory.org/Medusa/), and helmet. In her right hand she held an image of [Nike](https://www.worldhistory.org/nike/), the goddess of victory, and in her left she clutched a spear. The Parthenos stood behind a shallow pond filled with oil not only to provide a reflection of the statue but also to aid in keeping the statue's ivory from cracking in the dry Athenian heat.
[  Athena Parthenos Reconstruction Mary Harrsch (Photographed at the Nashville Parthenon, Tennessee) (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/907/athena-parthenos-reconstruction/ "Athena Parthenos Reconstruction")As a friend of Pericles, Phidias was made responsible as general manager and supervisor for the rebuilding of the Parthenon, although the late 1st century CE Greek historian [Plutarch](https://www.worldhistory.org/plutarch/) gives the majority of the credit to architects Callicrates and Ictinus. The Acropolis and old Parthenon had been destroyed during the [Persian Wars](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persian_Wars/). The new structure was meant to represent the courage of the Greeks in their subsequent [triumph](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Triumph/) over the Persian invaders. Plutarch in his *Greek Lives* spoke of Phidias, his relationship with Pericles, and his Athena [sculpture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Sculpture/) in a chapter on the Greek statesman. He wrote,
> Phidias made the golden statue of the goddess, and his name can be found inscribed as its maker on the stele. He was in charge of almost everything and, as I have mentioned, was the general manager of all the craftsmen - a post he gained as a result of his friendship with Pericles. As well as making people jealous of Phidias, this proved to be another pretext for maligning Pericles … (157).
### Zeus at Olympia
While his monuments to Athena brought him fame, his greatest masterpiece was the statue at the temple of Zeus in Olympia. Taking eight years to complete, it was finished in 430 BCE. The Temple of Zeus was considered one of the [Seven Wonders](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Seven_Wonders/) of the Ancient World. Seated on a throne, Zeus, like Athena, held the image of Nike in his right hand and a scepter in his left. The statue stood over 12.8 m (42 ft) high - larger even than the Athena Parthenos - and was composed of ivory and gold. Again, like so many of his other works, the temple and statue no longer exist, destroyed by fire and earthquakes. It fell into ruins and was eventually covered by a landslide and river silt.
[  Statue of Zeus, Olympia Quatremère de Quincy (Public Domain) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5417/statue-of-zeus-olympia/ "Statue of Zeus, Olympia")### Disgrace & [Death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/)
Phidias's final years are a mystery. Pericles's enemies accused the sculptor of stealing not only gold but also ivory during the making of Athena Parthenos. According to some authors, while he was supposedly able to prove his innocence on that charge, he was also accused of impiety for his portraits of Pericles and himself on Athena's shield. Plutarch supported the idea that Phidias may have been guilty, although he states the “theft was not proven,”. The enemies of Pericles, though, remained adamant about the impiety, so Phidias was jailed and died in prison. Apparently, the sculptor's friendship with Pericles caused him to acquire “one group of enemies on his own account, simply because they were jealous of him…” (172). Plutarch added, “So Phidias was taken off to prison where he died of an illness, although according to some writers Pericles' enemies arranged for him to die of poisoning, in order to discredit Pericles.” (172).
The sculptor's presence in Olympia is attested by the discovery of his workshop and the completion of the colossal Zeus gives proof to the fact that he did not die in prison - he may have been exiled or, fearing for his life, fled to Olympia. While he may not have died in prison, many believe he may have been killed by the Eleans. Regarded as the greatest of the Athenian sculptors, it is unfortunate that his memory and craft are only remembered through copies and the testament of contemporary authors. However, he influenced countless artists not only in [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/) but also in [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/).
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- Anonymous. *Encyclopedia Britannica.*
- [Hornblower, S. *The Oxford Classical Dictionary.* Oxford University Press, 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0199545561/)
- [Morford, M. *Classical Mythology.* Oxford University Press, 2003.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0199997322/)
- [Plutarch. *Greek Lives.* Oxford University Press, 1998.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0199540055/)
- [Pollard, J. *Wonders of the Ancient World.* Metro Books, 2008.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0857386638/)
## About the Author
Donald has taught Ancient, Medieval and U.S. History at Lincoln College (Normal, Illinois)and has always been and will always be a student of history, ever since learning about Alexander the Great. He is eager to pass knowledge on to his students.
## Timeline
- **c. 460 BCE - 457 BCE**: [Temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) of [Zeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/zeus/) is built at [Olympia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Olympia/) with a statue of [Apollo](https://www.worldhistory.org/apollo/) dominating the west pediment and containing the cult statue of Zeus by [Phidias](https://www.worldhistory.org/Phidias/).
- **447 BCE - 432 BCE**: The construction of the [Parthenon](https://www.worldhistory.org/parthenon/) in [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/) by the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates under the direction of [Phidias](https://www.worldhistory.org/Phidias/).
- **438 BCE**: The cult statue of [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/) Parthenos is dedicated in the [Parthenon](https://www.worldhistory.org/parthenon/) of [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/).
- **c. 430 BCE**: The cult statue of [Zeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/zeus/) by [Phidias](https://www.worldhistory.org/Phidias/) is dedicated in the [Temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) of Zeus, [Olympia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Olympia/). It is one of [the Seven Wonders](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Seven_Wonders/) of the Ancient World.
## Cite This Work
### APA
Wasson, D. L. (2017, July 07). Phidias. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Wasson, Donald L.. "Phidias." *World History Encyclopedia*, July 07, 2017. .
### MLA
Wasson, Donald L.. "Phidias." *World History Encyclopedia*, 07 Jul 2017, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Donald L. Wasson](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/DWasson/ "User Page: Donald L. Wasson"), published on 07 July 2017. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.