Imagine pitching this:
“Let’s carve out a mountain - and make it into you.”
Dinocrates wanted to do just that.
Alexander the Great had a surprising answer...
Let's check out the full story of Alexander's personal architect: 🧵
Dinocrates' most famous idea was to carve Mount Athos into a colossal statue of Alexander.
The statue would hold an entire city in one hand and pour a river into the sea from the other...
But Alexander's reaction was surprising...
Alexander was intrigued but ultimately rejected the plan.
But why?
The answer reveals a lot about both men's characters...
Dinocrates admitted he hadn't considered how to grow food for the city's residents.
It would all need to be imported by sea.
Alexander was impressed by the vision.
-but due to its lack of practicality, declined...
Despite this setback, Alexander saw potential in him.
He kept the architect close.
-setting the stage for even greater projects to come...
Enjoying this?
In my FREE publication, I dive deeper into:
- topics like this
- teach classical drawing
Everyone who signs up gets my Intro to Classical Architecture Drawing Course for FREE. classicalaegis.com
In 332 BC, Alexander appointed Dinocrates to plan and build a new city in Egypt.
This new city would become one of the most famous ancient cities of all-time...
That city was Alexandria.
It was laid out on a grid system that became hugely influential in city planning throughout the Hellenistic world.
A system which we still use today...
Alexandria's advanced infrastructure was ahead of its time.
Dinocrates worked with top engineers to create sophisticated waterworks and sewer systems for the low-lying coastal site.
But his most spectacular creation was yet to come...
After Alexander's General and best friend Hephaestion died he was tasked with building a monumental funeral pyre.
What made it so extraordinary?...
It was described by ancient writers as a wonder.
• six stories tall
• built of stone
• covered entirely in gold
Dinocrates was also involved in rebuilding the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.
- one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Which had been destroyed by arson the night Alexander was born...
Recent archaeological discoveries hint at another monumental project by Dinocrates.
What could this mysterious structure be.
-and what secrets might it hold?
Archaeologists believe he may have been the architect of a vast tomb found at Amphipolis in 2012.
It's one of the largest ever discovered from ancient Greece and is still under excavation...
His bold visions continue to inspire us today.
The Mount Athos proposal even inspired modern works like Mount Rushmore.
-created by sculptor Gutzon Borglum...
Dinocrates' projects speak to human ambition and the power of imagination.
They remind us that sometimes even the most fantastic ideas have the potential to become masterpieces...
If you enjoyed this:
- Follow @ClassicalAegis
- Subscribe to my newsletter (link in bio) or X and get my book:
The Art of Rhetoric: 20 Timeless Devices to Write, Speak, and Think Better
for Free
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.