Alexander the Great is recognised as one of the greatest military strategists in history. However, during his campaigns, he faced a challenge that he could not overcome as easily as in previous battles: the siege of Tyre.
In 332 BC, Tyre was the most prominent and one of the most powerful Phoenician city-states in the ancient world, known for its reputation of being unconquerable. With approximately 40,000 inhabitants, its prosperity was largely due to its strategic location on an island, with two fortified harbours and protected by an imposing 45-metre high wall. These features meant that it took the almost invincible Alexander the Great nearly seven months to conquer it.
After his victory at the battle of Issus and as he expanded his dominance eastwards, Alexander realized that he could not continue his campaign against Persia without controlling the Phoenician coast. So he headed south towards the formidable city of Tyre. Nearby cities, such as Byblos and Sidon, quickly submitted to his authority, but Tyre, the richest and most influential of the Phoenician kingdoms, famous for its purple dye and thriving economy, held firm.
Tyre, an impregnable city
The city of Tyre was divided into two parts: the old city on the mainland and the new city, a fortified island some 700 metres off the coast. This fortress had withstood all previous attempts at conquest, which gave the Tyrians great confidence. After initial contact and the refusal of the Tyrians to give in to his demands, Alexander decided to launch a prolonged siege. He destroyed the mainland of Tyre and used its rubble to build a dyke connecting the island to the mainland through a strait only 2 metres deep.
Dikes and assault towers
Aware of the situation, Alexander the Great ordered his engineers to build a breakwater using the remains of the city and large tree trunks from Lebanon. With a swift push to build the breakwater, the Macedonians began to close in on the island, while the Tyrians intensified their air attack on the workers. In order to continue his difficult task, Alexander the Great ordered the construction of two siege towers equipped with catapults, which relentlessly attacked the walls of Tyre.
In order to protect the most vulnerable, the Tyrians decided to evacuate these people to Carthage, their former colony, leaving approximately 40,000 defenders on the island. The Tyrians, confident of their invulnerability, watched in disbelief as Alexander the Great’s troops advanced towards their beloved city. In an act of bravery, they decided to load a ship with inflammable material and steer it towards the siege towers. The plan proved successful, and the Macedonian workers were exposed to attack by Tyrian archers, who also approached the breakwater by boat
Naval blockade
With the support of his allies, Alexander the Great established a naval blockade around the island of Tyre, which forced the enemy fleet to take refuge behind its walls, allowing the construction of the breakwater to continue. Upon reaching the wall, the Tyrians held their ground, but the land siege was not working. However, on the southern wall, Greek ships bombarding the city managed to breach the city. Learning of this, Alexander the Great gathered his best troops and sent them stealthily along the southern wall, while his army kept the Tyrians busy on the breakwater with a constant air attack.
The fall of Tyre
Once the Macedonian troops managed to enter the city, the Tyrians found themselves in a desperate situation. The battle at the breakwater had created multiple breaches in the Tyrian walls, which Alexander the Great took advantage of to quickly overrun the city. The attackers, eager for revenge after nearly eight months of suffering, unleashed a veritable massacre on the island. During the assault, an estimated 6,000 Tyrians lost their lives, and around 2,000 were crucified on the beach. Alexander the Great decided to spare the civilians who had taken refuge in the main temple, but the other 30,000 were sold into slavery. After his victory, the Macedonian continued his campaign to the south, with the aim of securing the rich and ancient Egypt.
The Phoenician treasure of Malaga
For those who want to immerse themselves in a fascinating journey to the ancient city of Tyre, which flourished between the 6th and 4th centuries BC, they can visit the Phoenician Treasure of Malaga, the new exhibition of the Ifergan Collection. In this space you can admire more than 200 Phoenician votive terracottas from the city of Tyre, authentic and in an excellent state of preservation, which will offer visitors a new perspective on the ancient Phoenician civilisation. These valuable pieces remained hidden under the sea for almost 2,500 years, since the siege of Tyre by Alexander the Great in 332 BC.
