Origins and Construction
The Mausoleum was commissioned by Artemisia II in honor of her late husband, Mausolus, who had ruled over Caria. After his death, she sought to create a grand monument to memorialize his legacy. The construction of the Mausoleum was a significant undertaking, requiring the collaboration of several renowned artists and architects, including the Greek architects Satyros and Pythius. The design of the tomb was a blend of Greek architectural principles, with elements borrowed from the Egyptian and Lycian architectural traditions.
The Mausoleum stood approximately 45 meters (148 feet) tall, making it one of the tallest structures of the ancient world at the time. Its design featured a massive rectangular base, with a series of steps leading up to a temple-like structure. At the top of the structure stood a giant, sculpted statue of Mausolus and Artemisia, which was surrounded by a frieze depicting scenes of battle and mythology.
Architectural Features
The architectural style of the Mausoleum was a blend of Greek, Egyptian, and Anatolian influences. The base of the tomb was a large, rectangular platform that supported a colonnade of 36 Ionic columns. These columns surrounded the tomb and formed the structure of the building. On the roof, a large, stepped pyramid was constructed, culminating in a chariot-drawn statue of Mausolus and Artemisia, which stood as the crowning feature of the monument. The frieze around the tomb was decorated with scenes from Greek mythology, battle scenes, and figures representing gods and heroes. These sculptural elements were crafted by some of the finest artists of the time, including Scopas, Bryaxis, and Leochares.
The frieze of the Mausoleum depicted not only mythological battles but also the military triumphs and the heroic status of Mausolus himself. The grandeur of the monument was enhanced by the combination of architectural precision, intricate sculptures, and the overall scale of the structure. shutdown123