The Statue of Zeus of Olympia is associated with the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games were held by the Greeks in honor of God Zeus. The Olympic Games first began in 776 BC and thereafter, athletes from distant lands, like Egypt, Asia, Syria, Minor, Sicily, etc used to come to compete in this famous occasion. The games were held every four years and they helped in unifying city-states of Greece.
As years passed on, a new and large temple was built near the stadium where the games were held. This unique Temple of Zeus was completed in 456 BC. Even though the statue was built brilliantly with exquisite design and quality, there was a general feeling among the Greeks that the temple was not what the King of Gods, Zeus, deserved. The answer to this was the Statue of Zeus at Olympia which later became one of the ancient World Wonders.
Phidias was the man who got the important task of being the sculptor, as he was experienced being the sculptor of goddess Athena statue in the past, along with few other noteworthy achievements. As per details, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia was made on the western end on the famous temple stated above. It was around 40 feet tall and 22 feet wide. An elaborated throne was designed to place the figure of Zeus. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia held a Nike figure, which was a symbol of victory goddess, with a sword made of all metals on the left. The skin of God Zeus was composed of ivory, with golden hair, beard and robe. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia required extreme care because Olympia weather was so damp that the humidity in the atmosphere could have made the ivory to crack.
There was hardly anything inside the temple apart from the Statue of Zeus in Olympia because the Greeks preferred a simple interior.