PhidiasPheidias

(circa 500-432 BCE) The legendary sculptor of the Statue of Zeus at Olympia.

Phidias was also credited with the two statues of Athene (Athena) at the Akropolis (Acropolis) of Athens: Athene Promakhos (Promachus) and Athene Parthenios; he lived during the time of Perikles (Pericles) and was instrumental in the reconstruction of Athens after it was sacked by the Persians, especially the Parthenon.

Perikles recognized Phidias’ extraordinary talent and gave him complete charge of the extensive public works projects which dominated the finances and energy of Athens under Perikles’ king-like rule; as a precaution, Perikles instructed Phidias to construct his golden statues in such a way that they could be dismantled and weighed so that charges of impropriety could be easily disproved; as if Perikles had prophetic insight, Phidias was accused of stealing gold from the statues but he was acquitted of the theft; his detractors persisted in their persecution and he was eventually convicted of “impiety” and died in prison.