Philon
Philon (Φίλων), Athenian architect of the 4th century BC, is known as the planner of two important works: the portico of twelve Doric columns to the great Hall of the Mysteries at Eleusis (work commissioned by Demetrius of Phalerum about 318 BC) and, under the administration of Lycurgus, an arsenal in Piraeus, Athens' port city. Gardner observes that it "is perhaps known to us more in detail than any other lost monument of antiquity." It was to hold the rigging of the galleys; and was so contrived that all its contents were visible from a central hall, and so liable to the inspection of the Athenian democracy. He is known to have written books on the Athenian arsenal and on the proportions of temple buildings, but these are now lost.
Also recorded as Philon of Athes · Philon of Eleusis
Philon
KOTOR at French Wikipedia · D'après Bertrand GILLE. Les mécaniciens grecs - La naissance de la technologie - Seuil ISBN 2-02-005395-0 · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Born
- 400.
- Died
- 360.
- Nationality
- Classical Athens.
- Occupation
- architect.
- Languages
- Ancient Greek.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Philon (Φίλων), Athenian architect of the 4th century BC, is known as the planner of two important works: the portico of twelve Doric columns to the great Hall of the Mysteries at Eleusis (work commissioned by Demetrius of Phalerum about 318 BC) and, under the administration of Lycurgus, an arsenal in Piraeus, Athens' port city. Gardner observes that it "is perhaps known to us more in detail than any other lost monument of antiquity." It was to hold the rigging of the galleys; and was so contrived that all its contents were visible from a central hall, and so liable to the inspection of the Athenian democracy. He is known to have written books on the Athenian arsenal and on the proportions of temple buildings, but these are now lost.
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wikipedia incomplete · checked 25 September 2026
- Identity
- resolved
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Authority files
getty · 500522834 · gnd · 106917758X · wikidata · Q240499 · wikipedia · Philon
In this article
Biography
Biography
Vitruvius (vii, introduction) quotes Philon on the proportions of temples, and on the naval arsenal which was at the port of Piraeus. Arsenal was destroyed by the forces of Lucius Cornelius Sulla in the Roman conquest of Athens in 86 BC.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
360
Philon died.
400
Philon born.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 106917758X, Philon.
Unverified · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
- Getty Union List of Artist Names 500522834, Philon of Eleusis.
Unverified · The Getty Research Institute
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q240499: Philon
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Philon”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Literature
Literature
Literature
Philon I, Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011
Philon (670), Jacoby Online
L’ouïe, « ce sens aveugle »: le statut de l’ouïe dans la vie pratique et religieuse chez Philon d’Alexandrie, Pallas, 2015
Scholarly footprint
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Les mécaniciens grecs, p. 49
- 2.Shearjashub Spooner. A Biographical and Critical Dictionary of Painters, Engravers, Sculptors and Architects, from Ancient to Modern Times: With the Monograms, Ciphers, and Marks Used by Distinguished Artists to Certify Their Works.
- 3.Plutarco. Les vies des hommes illustres de Plutarchus.
- 4.IG II 2 1668
- 5.Histoire des techniques, p. 329
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 106917758X, Philon.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Partially resolvedauthority file
Getty Union List of Artist Names 500522834, Philon of Eleusis.The Getty Research Institute
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Design
11,558 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Philippe RahmDesigner
- Philippe SamynDesigner
- Philips VingboonsDesigner
- Phillip James DoddDesigner
- Phyllis BirkbyDesigner
- Phyllis LambertDesigner
- Pier Carlo BontempiDesigner
- Pier Francesco OrsiniDesigner
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