Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

A baroque monumental tomb from Late Classical period, designed by Pytheos (362-351 B.C.). Vitruvius 7. Praef. 12-13: Satyrus and Pytheus wrote a book on the Mausoleum. On these men good fortune conferred the greatest and highest tribute. For their works of art are judged to possess merits renowned for all time and unfading for eternity, and from their deliberations were produced works of high distinction. For example, individual artists undertook one side each, competing against each other in embellishing and scrutinizing the work: Leochares, Bryaxis, Scopas, and Praxiteles, while some add Timotheus. The outstanding quality of their art caused the fame of the building to be included among the Seven Wonders of the World. Pliny the Elder, Natural History 36.30-31: The rivals and contemporaries of Skopas were Bryaxis, Timotheos, and Leochares, whom we must discuss at the same time since they too did carvings for the Mausoleum. This was the tomb built by Artemisia, the wife of Mausolos, the governor of Karia, who died in the second year of the 107th Olympiad [351 B.C.]. These artists put their utmost effort into this work with the result that it came to be included among the Seven Wonders of the World. Along the south and north sides it extends for a length of 63 feet, but it is shorter on the front side, the total length of the circuit being 440 feet; the tomb is 25 cubits high and is surrounded by 36 columns. They call these surrounding columns a pteron [in Greek]. Skopas did the carving on the east side, Bryaxis on the north, Timotheos on the south, and Leochares on the west, but before they had completed the work the Queen died. They did not stop working, however, until it was complete, having already decided that it would be a monument both to their own glory and to that of their art; and even today their hands rival one another. A fifth artist also worked on it. For above the pteron there is a pyramid which is equal in height to the lower part and tapers toward the top in pyramidal fashion with 24 steps; at the top there is a marble quadriga which Pythis [name probably should be Pytheus, as in passage from Vitruvius immediately preceding] made. With this added, the total height of the building comes to 140 feet.