The Great Altar of Zeus
Around 250 BC, the people of Pergamum won a great victory against the Galatians. In memory of that event, they built a great altar to Zeus, who was considered to be king of the gods, life-giver, the lord of all, the creator of all; titles that belong to God alone. Located on the west side of the Acropolis more than one thousand feet above the valley, the altar of Zeus smoked day and night with sacrifices. It could be seen from a great distance and was shaped like an ancient throne. Built on a podium 105 feet by 110 feet, the forty-foot-high altar was the largest in the world. It had three tiers with steps on one side, and each tier had a carved marble frieze featuring scenes of Zeus mythology, which was extremely immoral. Today, the entire altar is in the Pergamum museum in Berlin.
