Siege of Tyre (332 BC)

Siege of Tyre (332 BC)
Part of the Wars of Alexander the Great

Map of troop movements during Alexander's siege
DateJanuary–July 332 BC
Location
Tyre, Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon)
33°16′15″N 35°11′46″E / 33.27083°N 35.19611°E / 33.27083; 35.19611
Result Macedonian victory
Territorial
changes
Macedonian army captures Tyre
Belligerents
Macedon
Hellenic League
Tyrian city-state
Commanders and leaders
Alexander the Great
Hephaestion
Azemilcus Surrendered
Casualties and losses
400 killed[1] 6,000–7,000 killed in action
2,000 executed[2]
13,000–30,000 civilians enslaved[3]
Tyre is located in Lebanon
Tyre
Tyre
Tyre is located in West and Central Asia
Tyre
Tyre
Map
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Maps: terms of use
1200km
820miles
Babylon
15
Death of Alexander the Great 10 or 11 June 323 BC
Malavas
14
Mallian campaign November 326 – February 325 BC
Hydaspes
13
Battle of the Hydaspes May 326 BCE
Cophen
12
Cophen campaign May 327 BC – March 326 BC
Cyropolis
11
Siege of Cyropolis 329 BC Battle of Jaxartes October 329 BC Siege of the Sogdian Rock 327 BC
Persian Gate
10
Battle of the Persian Gate 20 January 330 BC
Uxians
9
Battle of the Uxian Defile December 331 BC
Gaugamela
8
Battle of Gaugamela 1 October 331 BC
Alexandria
7
Foundation of Alexandria 331 BC
Gaza
6
Siege of Gaza October 332 BC
Tyre
5
Issus
4
Battle of Issus 334 BC
Miletus
3
Siege of Miletus 334 BC Siege of Halicarnassus 334 BC
Granicus
2
Battle of the Granicus May, 334 BC
Pella
1
  current battle

The siege of Tyre was orchestrated by Alexander the Great in 332 BC during his campaigns against the Persians. The Macedonian army was unable to capture the city, which was a strategic coastal base on the Mediterranean Sea, through conventional means because it was on an island and had walls right up to the sea. Alexander responded to this problem by first blockading and besieging Tyre for seven months, and then by building a causeway and placing siege towers with catapults built on top at the end after his soldiers discovered that they could not extend it any further due to a steep drop under the surface of the water. This allowed him to breach the fortifications.

It is said that Alexander was so enraged at the Tyrians' defence of their city and the loss of his men that he destroyed half the city. According to Arrian, 8,000 Tyrian civilians were massacred after the city fell. Alexander granted pardon to all who had sought sanctuary in the temple, including Azemilcus and his family, as well as many nobles. 30,000 residents and foreigners, mainly women and children, were sold into slavery.

  1. ^ Arrian Anabasis 2.24.4
  2. ^ Arrian Anabasis 2.24.4; Diodorus Library 17.46.4 claims 7,000, with 2,000 having been crucified; Quintus Curtius 4.4.16 claims 6,000, with 2,000 having been crucified on the beach
  3. ^ Arrian Anabasis 2.24.5; Diodorus 17.46.4 claims 13,000

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