Historical Background
Name: Tzurru = Rock, in Greek, Tyros
Island off the coast of
Colonized by the Phoenicians from 28C BC
Island
Mentioned in Ugaritic tablets and Amarna Tablets, Egyptian texts
Rise of
1200 destroyed by Sea Peoples
Resisted Tiglath-pileser I, 1100
Abi-Baal {1020-980}
Hiram, king of
Ally of Solomon
Provided resources and craftsmen to build the temple
Ethbaal {878-847}
Daughter Jezebel married Ahab of Israel (Ps 45)
Colonization
Paid tribute to
Siege by Nebuchadnezzer of
13 years
failed to conquer
Submitted to Persians in 538 as semi-independent city-state
Continued with own king
Provided trade and naval power to
Conquest by Alexander, 332
Bibliography
EDB 1341-2
Jideijan,
Katzenstein,
H. J. The History of
Van Dijk,
H. J. Ezekiel’s Prophecy on
OEANE 5:247-50
Alexander’s Siege
Defenses
Island 1300 feet form the mainland
50,000 people
80 Triremes (rest with Persian fleet in
walls 150 feet high, directly on the ocean
excellent warriors (
many catapults
Alexander’s Sacrifice
Melqart, patron god of
Melk qart = king of the city
Underworld, deified king, dying and reviving, protector of seafarers
Perhaps variation of Ba’al?
Equated with Hercules
Alexander wants to offer sacrifice in
Only Tyrian king could do so
Seen as insult
Logistics
Adequate water
No food
Supplied by local allies and by sea
Wealth plundered from
Engineering
Major military engineers in Alexander’s army
The mole = causeway
1300 feet long
increasing depth of water (to 18 feet)
manpower problem = labor gangs from locals
used rocks from Old Tyre
Two siege towers on the mole, 150 feet high
Storm washes away part of the Mole, extended to 200 feet wide
Resistance
Catapults
Ships attack the mole with missiles and catapults
Fire ship to burn the towers
Commando raids
Divers
Defection
Return of the Phoenician and Cypriot fleets from
Defect to Alexander
Collapse of
Bribery?
Hatred of
Alexander now has fleet of 223 ships
Naval blockade
Mole reaches the walls
Walls are too thick
Tyrians have known for months where the assault will come
Build extra wall behind and widen wall
Towers on wall overtop Macedonian siege towers
Catapults defending and attacking
Unable to breach the wall
Strong Tyrian defence: burning sand and grappling hooks
Alexander is almost ready to surrender and leave for
Naval assault on walls
Find weakest spot on the walls on south corner
Salient
Boulders laid by Tyrians prevent docking
Boulders are removed
Divers and ships cult cables
Use of armored ships
Raid by Tyrian fleet to scuttle Cypriots
Foiled by Alexander bringing other fleet to the rescue
Use of the Ram ships
Assault wall where boulders are cleared away
Great ram mounted on multiple anchored ships
Armored and fire resistant
Fleet all around the town and mole attack simultaneously
Entire wall must be defended or ladders can be raised from ships
Gangplank from ships into breach
Alexander and hypaspists make assault
Capture the breach
Resistance collapses
Results
Alexander’s stature increases
Alexander’s skill at siegecraft is established
Persian naval threat is removed