Seven Wonders of the World - The Pharos Lighthouse

Although most people know that a list exists of the Seven World Wonders, only few can name them. The list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was originally compiled around the second century BC. The first reference to the idea is found in Herodotus' "History" (5th cent. B.C.). Decades later Greek historians wrote about the greatest monuments at the time. Calimachus of Cyrene (305-240 B.C.), Chief Librarian of the Alexandria Mouseion, wrote "A Collection of Wonders around the World". All we know about the collection is its title, for it was destroyed with the Alexandria Library. The final list of the Seven Wonders was compiled during the Middle Ages. The most widely referenced list includes the following "Wonders". 1 - The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) in Giza, 2 - Hanging Gardens of Babylon, 3 - The Statue of Zeus at Olympia, 4 - The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, 5 - The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, 6 - The Colossus at Rhodes, and finally, 7 - The Lighthouse at Alexandria. A number of fine examples from Alexandria are listed below.

EGYPT, Alexandria Domitian 81-96 AD Æ Hemidrachm (28mm, 16.38-42g, 12h) Dated RY 11 (AD 91/92). Obv: ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹAP-ΔΟΜΙΤ ϹЄΒ ΓЄΡΜ, laureate bust of Domitian right, aegis on left shoulder Rev: Pharos of Alexandria; L IA (date) Ref: Dattari 549; Kampmann/Ganschow 24.142; RPC 2617; Emmett 273; BMC 343 (Author's Collection) - best known example and first image of Pharos Lighthouse in antiquity

EGYPT, Alexandria. Trajan 98-117 Hemidrachm circa 107-108 (year 11), Æ 29.5mm., 11.26g. RPC 4245. 2 (this coin). Dattari-Savio Pl. 55, 1111 (this coin) (image courtesy of Numismatic Naumann)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ Drachm 34mm, 24.09g. Dated RY 17 (AD 132-3). (image courtesy of CNG/Triton XV)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian. Æ Hemidrachm, 13.78g. 28mm. Dated Year 21, 136-7 A.D. (image courtesy of Edward Waddell)

EGYPT. Alexandria. Hadrian, 117-138 AD. AE Hemidrachm (31 mm, 12.98 g, 12 h). Pharos Lighthouse. (Author's collection)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. 138-161 AD. Æ Hemidrachm. Pharos lighthouse. (image courtesy of Gorny & Mosch)

Egypt, Alexandria. Marcus Aurelius Caesar, 139-161 Drachm circa 148-149 (year 12), Æ 33.2mm., 23.64g Pharos of Alexandria. (Image Courtesy of Numismatic Naumann)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Faustina junior, daughter of Antoninus Pius and wife of Marcus Aurelius Drachm circa 148-149 (year 12), Æ 31mm, 20.50g Draped bust r. Rev. Isis Pharia standing, r., holding sail and sistrum; before, Pharos. Dattari-Savio Pl. 172, 9114; RPC Online 13641; Milne 2162 (formerly Author's collection)

Other lighthouse images

Roman Republican. Sextus Pompey. 42-40 BC. AR Denarius. Pharos of Messana Crawford 511 (image courtesy of NAC)

SICILY, Panormos. ca. 1st Century BC. Æ 18mm (3.95 gm). Lighthouse and Altar. RPC I 637; Calciati I pg. 359, 161 (image courtesy of CNG)

IONIA. Ephesos. Gordian III (238-244). Ae 29mm 11.29g Isis Pharos Lighthouse SNG Copenhagen 529 (image courtesy of Pecunum)

THRACE, Moesia Istros. Elagabalus 222-235 A.D. river god and lighthouse. Moushmov 185

SYRIA, Seleucis & Pieria. Laodiceia ad Mare. Septimius Severus and Caracalla. 198-211 AD. Æ 32mm (formerly Author's collection)

Roman Imperial. Nero 54-68 A.D. Æ Sestertius 36mm, 28.76g. Rome mint. Struck circa AD 64. Port of Ostia with lighthouse. RIC I 178 (image courtesy of CNG)

EGYPT, Alexandria Domitian, 81-96 RY=15 ca 95-96 Æ Hemidrachm 29mm., 11.93g Obv: Laureate head r. Rev: Pharos; in field, L-IE. Ref: RPC 2732. Geissen 425. Dattari-Savio Pl. 21, 553 (Author's collection)

Reconstruction of the Pharos Lighthouse built by Ptolemy II in Alexandria

EGYPT, Alexandria. Trajan Drachm, year 15 (AD 111-2). Isis Pharia advancing left, Pharos to right. Dattari (Savio) 7075-6; RPC III 4618 (Author's collection)

EGYPT, Alexandria Hadrian (117-138 AD); Dated RY 11 (126/7) Æ Hemidrachm 29mm, 13.81g Obv: ΑVΤ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑ СЄΒ Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: L ΕΝΔΕΚΑΤΟV; Pharos surmounted by two Tritons, each with trumpet, and lantern, atop which is a statue facing slightly left, with situla and sceptre. Ref: RPC III 5673; Dattari (Savio) 7856; K&G 32.423. (Author's collectioin)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian AE Hemidrachm 118-19 A.D. 19.98g, 30mm (image courtesy of Pavlou coins)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Sabina 117-138 A.D. AE 28mm 15.04g Hemidrachm. Pharos Lighthouse. (formerly Author's collection)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius 138-160 AD Æ-hemidrachm, year 8 (144-145); 11.77g. Pharos of Alexandria. (Image courtesy of Kunker 347)

EGYPT, Alexandria. Commodus. AD 177-192. BI Tetradrachm. Galley sailing toward Pharos lighthouse. Emmett 2542 (image courtesy of CNG)

Bronze lighthouse. Roman, 1st-3rd centuries AD. Model of a lighthouse of three hexagonal stories (image courtesy of CNG)

CILICIA, Aegeai. Macrinus 217-218 AD. AE 28mm (image courtesy of Hirsch)

CORINTHIA, Corinth. Commodus 177-192 A.D. Æ 18mm Pharos and galley. BCD Corinth 823 (image courtesy of CNG)0

CILICIA, Tarsus. Antinous, favorite of Hadrian. Died 130 AD. Æ 35mm (30.80 gm). River god Kydnus with Pharos at feet. SNG Lev 1004 (image courtesy of CNG/Triton VII)

Roman Imperial. Commodus 177-192 A.D. AE Orichalcum Medaillon 41mm, 60.04g. Harbor scene with lighthouse with African fleet. (image courtesy of CNG)

Roman Imperial. Commodus ca. 189 A.D. AE Medaillon (60.01g) Harbor scene with lighthouse and African fleet. (image courtesy of Numis Ars Classica 45)