Rhodes, Greek Ροδος (Rhodos), is the largest of the Dodecanese islands, and easternmost of the major islands of Greece in the Aegean Sea.
Rhodes Coin with Helios, 4th century BC In 408 BC the cities united to form one territory, and built a new capital on the northern end of the island, the city of Rhodes: its regular plan was superintended by the Athenian architect Hippodamus.
But their rule was also short and Rhodes became a part of the growing empire of Alexander the Great in 332 BC after he defeated the Persians, to the great relief of the citizens of Rhodes.
Such was his enthusiasm that he could not wait to begin the work and he himself designed the general layout of the town, indicating the position of the market place and the temples and which gods they should serve, the gods of Greece and Egypt, and the exact limits of the defences".
Working with the architectDeinocrates of Rhodes, the stonemason Numenios and a technical adviser named Hyponomos, Alexander also planned the site of the royal palace and even worked out a complex system of underground drains and sewers.
As their former pro-Persian leaders were delivered to him for judgement, Alexander despatched them south to the Greek garrison at Aswan, accompanied by Callisthenes whom Alexander sent southward to investigate Aristotle's theory that the annual Nile flood was a result of rains to the south.