Alexander the Great: Ruthless Siege of Tyre Explained In 333 BCE, Alexander fought the Persian king Darius III at the Battle of Issus a battle famous for its depiction on the Alexander Mosaic Alexander defeated Darius' larger force and he then sacked the Phoenician cities of Baalbek and Sidon and in 332 he laid siege to the island city of Tyre The Siege of Tyre is a famous example of his commitment to victory and his ruthfulness. In order to bring his siege engines within striking distance of Tyre's walls, he had his army build a land bridge out to the island which is how the island city became linked to the land as the site still is today. And, in response to the stubbornness of the inhabitants of the city refusing to surrender, he slaughtered most of them and then sold the survivors as slaves. #alexanderthegreat #alexander #persia #persian #darius #seige #king