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Why did Alexander the Great besiege the city of Tyre?

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Alexander the Great Alexander the Great, detail from Alexander and Porus, painting by Charles Le Brun, 17th century; in the Louvre, Paris, France.

Alexander the Great besieged the city of Tyre in 332 BCE as part of his strategic campaign to isolate the Persian fleet from its naval bases. By capturing the coastal cities of Phoenicia, Alexander aimed to destroy the Persian fleet as an effective fighting force.1

The siege began after the Tyrians refused to grant the Macedonian king entry into their island city. Alexander responded by employing extensive siegecraft, which included the construction of an immense causeway—built using rubble from the destroyed mainland portion of the town—to reach the island section. The conflict lasted seven months and concluded with the city's capture, an event marked by significant violence, including the death of 10,000 inhabitants and the enslavement of 30,000 others. This victory was a critical military achievement that secured Alexander's control over the eastern Mediterranean coast.12