Today, people usually say thank you by writing a thank-you note.
The people of the island of Rhodes did way more than that. They survived a long siege by the mighty Macedonian army in 305 B.C. Afterward, they gave thanks by building a huge statue of Helios, the Sun god. It took them 12 years, from 294 to 282 B.C. The statue was as tall as an 11-story building. It towered over the harbor. The statue became known as the Colossus of Rhodes.
