Alexander the Great and the Siege of Tyre: A Long, Hard Fight
In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great faced one of his toughest challenges—the fortified island city of Tyre. Through determination, strategy, and innovation, he overcame the city’s defenses in a brutal siege that shaped the course of his eastern campaign.
By BookOfWorldHistory·October 1, 2025·History·6 min read · 1,125 words
Originally published at: https://www.bookofworldhistory.com/blog/alexander-great-siege-tyre-long-hard-fight
In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great faced one of his toughest challenges—the fortified island city of Tyre. Through determination, strategy, and innovation, he overcame the city’s defenses in a brutal siege that shaped the course of his eastern campaign.
The story of Alexander the Great is filled with famous victories and bold moves, but one of the hardest challenges he ever faced was the siege of Tyre in 332 BCE. This wasn’t a simple fight. It was a long, exhausting struggle between one of the smartest generals in history and a city that believed it could never be conquered. The siege lasted for months and tested both Alexander’s determination and the courage of Tyre’s defenders.
Alexander the Great pointing toward the island city of Tyre during the siege of 332 BCE.
Alexander Heads into Phoenicia
After his great victory over the Persian king Darius III at the Battle of Issus, Alexander led his army of about 35,000 to 40,000 men south into Phoenicia. This land along the eastern Mediterranean coast was filled with wealthy cities that controlled valuable harbors and shipping routes. Gaining control of these cities was important because they could support or block Alexander’s march into Egypt. Many Phoenician cities, such as Byblus and Sidon, saw little hope of resistance and surrendered peacefully. But Tyre was different. Tyre was proud, powerful, and protected by the sea.
At first, the Tyrians treated Alexander politely. But when he asked to enter their island city to make an offering to Heracles (who they worshiped as Melqart), they refused. Instead, they suggested he make his offering at Old Tyre, the abandoned settlement on the mainland. Everyone knew that Old Tyre had no value. Alexander saw this as a direct rejection, and in his mind, the people of Tyre had declared themselves his enemies.
Map of Phoenicia during Alexander’s campaign, showing Tyre and surrounding cities.
Why Tyre Was So Important
Tyre was no ordinary city. Built on an island half a mile off the coast, it was surrounded by walls over 150 feet tall and protected by a strong navy. As a major Persian naval base, Tyre could threaten Alexander’s supply lines and cut him off from his next goal, Egypt. Leaving Tyre untouched was dangerous. The situation became even worse when Tyre killed Alexander’s messengers and threw their bodies into the sea. With that act, any chance of peace was gone. Alexander would attack, no matter how long it took.
Building the Causeway
Attacking Tyre was a unique challenge because of its island location. Alexander’s men could not simply storm the walls; they needed a way to reach them. His solution was to build a massive causeway—a road of stone and wood—that stretched from the shore to the island. Thousands of soldiers and workers carried stones, trees, and earth to pile into the shallow waters near the coast. At first, construction went well. The workers moved quickly, and the causeway grew longer by the day.
But as the mole pushed into deeper waters, the Tyrians struck back. Their ships sailed close to the workers, showering them with arrows, rocks, and burning materials. To protect the builders, Alexander had siege towers built on the causeway, covered in animal hides to stop fire arrows. These towers carried catapults and other weapons to keep the Tyrian navy at a distance. For a short time, this plan worked.
The Tyrians, however, were clever and resourceful. They filled an old horse transport ship with dry straw, pitch, and oil. Heavy weights were placed at the back so the front rose high above the water. Then they towed it toward the causeway and set it ablaze. When the fire ship crashed into Alexander’s towers, flames spread quickly. The towers burned, weapons were destroyed, and soldiers were thrown into chaos. Months of work went up in smoke in a single attack.
Macedonian soldiers building a causeway toward Tyre, with siege towers on the structure.
Alexander Builds a Navy
Realizing that Tyre could not be taken from land alone, Alexander turned his attention to the sea. He marched to Sidon and gathered ships from his allies. Cities like Byblus, Aradus, Rhodes, Lycia, and Cilicia sent their fleets. Even his homeland of Macedon contributed. The king of Cyprus added 120 ships, giving Alexander more than 200 vessels in total. In a short time, Alexander went from having almost no navy to commanding one of the largest fleets in the Mediterranean.
When Alexander returned with his new navy, the Tyrians were stunned. Their greatest strength had always been their ships, but now Alexander outmatched them. In desperation, they chained their two harbors shut and prepared for the siege to continue.
A large fleet of ancient warships gathering at Sidon, with sails and oars, showing Alexander overseeing the ships.
The Fighting Heats Up
The battle entered a new phase. Alexander used catapults and siege weapons mounted on ships and on the causeway to pound the city walls. The Tyrians answered with clever tricks. They dropped huge boulders into the water to block the attackers’ ships. They sent divers underwater to cut the ropes of Alexander’s cranes and towers. When soldiers tried to climb the walls, the defenders poured down boiling sand and molten metal, which slipped through armor and burned their skin.
In one dramatic episode, thirteen Tyrian warships made a surprise attack from the northern harbor. They caught Alexander’s Cyprian allies off guard, sinking two ships before retreating. When Alexander heard the news, he rushed into battle himself, chasing the enemy ships, capturing two, and forcing the rest to flee back to the safety of their walls.
Breaking Through
The siege dragged on for months, testing both sides. Finally, Alexander prepared for a decisive strike. He ordered constant attacks against the southern walls to weaken them, while pretending to attack other areas to confuse the defenders. After days of heavy battering with rams, the wall cracked and a section collapsed. Alexander personally led his soldiers through the breach. Fierce fighting spread through the streets of Tyre. One of his commanders, Admetus, was killed while leading the charge, but the Macedonians pushed forward and gained control.
The end was bloody. Around 6,000 Tyrians were killed during the fighting. Another 2,000 were crucified along the shore as a warning to others. About 30,000 men, women, and children were sold into slavery. Only the king, his family, and those hiding in the temple of Melqart were spared. Alexander’s army also suffered heavy losses, but they had finally captured the “unbeatable” city.
Alexander leading his soldiers through a broken section of Tyre’s walls during the final assault.
The Aftermath
In July 332 BCE, after months of struggle, Tyre was in Alexander’s hands. He offered thanks to Heracles, held a torch race to celebrate, and marched through the city in triumph. With Tyre gone, nothing blocked his path to Egypt. From there, he would move deeper into the Persian Empire and toward even greater victories.
Why the Siege of Tyre Matters
The siege of Tyre is remembered as one of the most difficult and impressive campaigns of Alexander’s career. It showed that he was not only a brave commander but also a creative thinker who could change his plans when needed. When land attacks failed, he built a navy. When his siege towers burned, he rebuilt them stronger. He never gave up, even when the challenge seemed impossible.
For Alexander, the fall of Tyre secured his control over the eastern Mediterranean. For history, it became a powerful example of determination and strategy. The city believed it could not be taken, but Alexander proved otherwise.