How Alexander The Great Walked On Water To Seize An Island Fortress
A remarkable story about a remarkable man
The island of Tyre was a prominent coastal base located in the Mediterranean. The island was heavily fortified with massive stone walls that went all the way to the sea. Between heavy swells, stout defenses, and patrols by the Persian navy, many people believed the island to be unassailable. The fortress was impregnable. When Alexander The Great began his campaigns against the vast Persian Empire he knew he would need to take Tyre in order to proceed safely. Without capturing Tyre his flanks would be exposed and the coasts would never truly be safe.
Alexander showed up in January of 332 BCE and attempted to immediately assault the island. He built immovable towers to bombard the walls as he tried to ferry his troops across the water. Unfortunately, the defenses were too good and he was unable to construct the siege equipment he needed to breach the walls. Alexander was also operating without the benefit of a navy which made building along the coastline nearly impossible.
A frontal assault was not going to work. He was going to have to siege the city down.
A Long Siege
Alexander was eventually reinforced by ships and he began a blockade of the island. If…
