Rhodes

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

RHODES· (Book Rhodes) THERE remaineth in this Table the Iland of Rhodes. This as Pliny witnesseth was heretofore called Ophtusa, Asteria, Aethraea, Trin••hia, Corimbia, A•abiria, and Macarta. It is distant from the con∣tinent of Asia 20. miles. The compasse of it is 140. miles. It hath a temperate and gentle Ayre: and it was consecrate to the Sunne, because there is no day wherein the Sunne doth not shine upon it. The soyle is fruitfull, and the Meddowes fertile, and it hath great store of fruit Trees, of which many are alwayes greene. It hath now but one strong Citty of the same name, which is situate in the Easterne part of the Iland, partly on a steepe Hill, and partly on the Sea Coast. It hath a faire and safe Haven, and it is well fortified with a double Wall, thirteene high Towers, five Castles, and other Forts and Bulwarkes. And it hath an University which heretofore was as famous as that at Massils, Athens, Alexandria, and •arsus: and it had a brazen Colossus of the Sunne, which was seventy Cubits high, which after it had stood 56. yeeres, it was throwne downe by an Earthquake, and when it lay on the ground it was a wonderfull sight to behold. For a man of a good stature could not fathome or embrace his Thumb. And the Fingers were greater than most Sta∣tues, and when it was broke, his Belly did gape like a great Cave. This Colossus was making twelve yeeres, and three hundred Talents of Brasse went to the making of it, and within there were great stones layd, that might make the worke stand firme. The Sultan la∣ded 700. Camels with the Brasse of this Statue.