Phidias was considered the greatest of Greek sculptors and he became the dominant artistic figure of the fifth century BC. His statue of Zeus in Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Phidias was born in Athens. He became a friend and adviser to Pericles and helped him to beautify Athens after the Greek victory over Persia. He received the commission to execute the chief statues for the city, and became superintendent of all public works. He created the symbol of Athens, the statue of Athena Parthenos, and he supervised the construction of the Propylaea and the Parthenon. Charged by his enemies with appropriating gold from the statue, he disappeared from Athens, presumably into exile.