How to Pronounce Callicrates

Meaning and Context

Callicrates was a prominent Athenian architect of the 5th century BCE, a key figure during the Golden Age of Pericles. He is most renowned for his collaboration with the sculptor Phidias and fellow architect Ictinus in designing and constructing the Parthenon, the Doric temple dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos that crowns the Acropolis of Athens. This masterpiece of classical Greek architecture, completed in 432 BCE, exemplifies the precision and aesthetic principles of the period, harmonizing mathematical proportions with visual grace. Beyond this iconic work, ancient sources also credit Callicrates with the design of the smaller but exquisite Temple of Athena Nike, also on the Acropolis, and he is believed to have been instrumental in the execution of the Long Walls that connected Athens to its port at Piraeus, a critical infrastructure project for Athenian naval power. His legacy is thus cemented in both sacred architecture and military engineering, representing the dual aspirations of cultural grandeur and strategic might that defined Periclean Athens.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The name "Callicrates" is a direct transliteration from the Greek Καλλικράτης. The most common alternative spelling is Kallikrates, which uses a "K" to reflect the original Greek kappa, a practice often preferred in academic or more Hellenic contexts. A frequent misspelling or typo involves the double letters, resulting in errors like "Calicrates" (missing an 'l') or "Callicrate" (dropping the 's'). The name is sometimes incorrectly merged or confused with that of his more famous contemporary, leading to compound errors such as "Phidias-Callicrates" as a single entity. When searching for information, using both the "C" and "K" spellings can yield more comprehensive results, though the Latinized "Callicrates" is standard in many English-language histories and architectural texts.

Example Sentences

Alongside Ictinus, Callicrates translated the ambitious vision of Pericles and the artistic oversight of Phidias into the enduring marble of the Parthenon.

Scholars continue to debate the specific contributions of Callicrates versus Ictinus, though the elegant Temple of Athena Nike is more firmly attributed to him.

When studying the Periclean building program, one cannot overlook the logistical genius of Callicrates, who managed the vast workforce and material supply for these monumental projects.

Although less celebrated in ancient literature than the sculptor Phidias, the architectural legacy of Callicrates physically defines the Athenian skyline to this day.

A modern visitor to the Acropolis is walking amidst the spatial concepts perfected by Callicrates over two millennia ago.

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