Battle Of Halicarnassus Research Paper

The Battle of Halicarnassus An important Persian city was Halicarnassus which was used as a supply base. Whose fortifications included a “45 foot wide moat, which was 22 feet deep and a six foot thick walls; and high masonry towers” (2004, p94) in which Memnon and his troops were defending. The city could easily be supplied from the sea, but because of poor use of the Persian fleet, Alexander was able to move his siege engines and supplies to Halicarnassus for the battle. Alexander began his siege on the northern side of the city by filling-in a portion of the moat. He utilized ditch-filling tortoises to fill-in the moat, and enable his siege crafts to be positioned strategically in front of the city.
Once this was complete, the Macedonians
Alexander took a new approach to this battle and sought out allies to increase his naval fleet, adding to his numbers he now surpassed Tyre in the open water. While the new mole was being constructed, he not only increased the size of his navy, but also recruited many new siege engineers. Constructing siege crafts for both the causeway and to be added to his ships. As Alexander’s mole was being built, his naval fleet began approaching the city walls. The main wall was approximately 150 feet in height, with wooden towers where missiles could be launched at Alexander’s troops, built atop the stone walls. The Tyrians also kept Alexander’s naval fleet at bay by piling up rocks underneath the walls of the city. Alexander began hauling the rocks away so his siege vessels could approach the city’s wall. Battle ensued between the Tyrian armored ships and Alexander’s siege ships, which Alexander countered by having his light armored ships attack the Tyrians. Alexander’s naval fleet continued its battle against the Tyrians and finally gained access to the wall. At this time Alexander’s fleet spread out to surround Tyre, and attempted to breach the city at both harbors and at any weak point in Tyre’s wall. Besieging ships began making an entrance at the southern wall, the first entrance into Tyre was thwarted off. In order to obtain a greater point of entry into the city, Alexander sent more ships with siege crafts to enlarge the entrance into Tyre’s southern wall. Once the breach in the wall was large enough, gangways were laid, and Alexander’s troops were able to enter Tyre and conquer the