Abstract

Vitruvius’ technical text De architectura and Horace’s poetic letter 2.1 are both directed at Augustus. Within the corpus of Augustan literature they alone contain two anecdotes in which Alexander the Great clearly functions as a role model for the princeps. It is striking that in both cases the ruler’s relationship to the arts - architecture and poetry respectively - is addressed. In the following article I shall give a close reading of both passages and place them in their literary and historical context. Although both texts belong to very different genres, remarkable similarities can be observed. Alexander turns out to be an ambivalent figure, to whom Augustus and his artistic advisors cannot but refer back.