That Time a Guy Destroyed One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

TL;DR

The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was burned down by Herostratus, who wanted to be remembered throughout history.

Transcript

Long considered the greatest of the so-called "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World", the Temple of Artemis located in modern-day Turkey consists of nothing more than a single column of marble surrounded by random pieces of debris. Famously destroyed and rebuilt multiple times over the centuries, the temple is most notable for being burned down by a ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏗️ The Temple of Artemis was built to honor the goddess Artemis and was constructed with expensive materials.
• 🛕 The temple had a solid foundation reinforced with charcoal, sheepskins, shale, and marble.
• 🛕 Herostratus burned down the temple in an attempt to gain notoriety and be remembered throughout history.
• 🛟 The authorities executed Herostratus and enacted damnatio memoriae to erase his name from public records. However, some historians, like Theopompus, preserved his name.

Questions & Answers

Q: Who designed the Temple of Artemis and why was it built?

The temple was designed by Cherisiphron in 550 BC and was built to honor the goddess Artemis.

Q: What was the purpose of constructing the temple on marshy land?

The builders believed that the softer ground would protect the temple from earthquakes.

Q: How did Herostratus manage to burn down such a massive structure?

Herostratus sneaked past the guards, placed oiled rags around the wood frame beams supporting the roof, and set them on fire.

Q: Why did Herostratus admit to the crime and willingly hand himself over to authorities?

Herostratus wanted to be remembered throughout history, and his act of burning the temple was how he hoped to achieve fame.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Temple of Artemis, located in modern-day Turkey, was designed by Cherisiphron in 550 BC to honor the goddess Artemis.

• Built on marshy land, the temple had a solid foundation reinforced with charcoal, sheepskins, shale, and marble.

• Herostratus burned down the temple in 356 BC, admitting his crime to gain notoriety, resulting in his brutal execution.