<P> The Greek conquest of much of the known western world in the 4th century BC gave Hellenistic travellers access to the civilizations of the Egyptians, Persians, and Babylonians . Impressed and captivated by the landmarks and marvels of the various lands, these travellers began to list what they saw to remember them . </P> <P> Instead of "wonders", the ancient Greeks spoke of "theamata" (θεάματα), which means "sights", in other words "things to be seen" (Τὰ ἑπτὰ θεάματα τῆς οἰκουμένης (γῆς) Tà heptà theámata tēs oikoumenēs (gēs)). Later, the word for "wonder" ("thaumata" θαύματα, "wonders") was used . Hence, the list was meant to be the Ancient World's counterpart of a travel guidebook . </P> <P> The first reference to a list of seven such monuments was given by Diodorus Siculus . The epigrammist Antipater of Sidon who lived around or before 100 BC, gave a list of seven such monuments, including six of the present list (substituting the walls of Babylon for the lighthouse): </P> <P> I have gazed on the walls of impregnable Babylon along which chariots may race, and on the Zeus by the banks of the Alpheus, I have seen the hanging gardens, and the Colossus of the Helios, the great man - made mountains of the lofty pyramids, and the gigantic tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the sacred house of Artemis that towers to the clouds, the others were placed in the shade, for the sun himself has never looked upon its equal outside Olympus .--Greek Anthology IX. 58 </P>

Who wrote the seven wonders of the ancient world