Tyre

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Tyre is an ancient Phoenician port city which, in myth, is known as the birthplace of Europa (who gave Europe its name) and Dido (who gave aid to, and fell in love with, Aeneas of Troy). The name means 'rock' and the city consisted of two parts, the main trade centre on an island, and 'old Tyre', about a half mile opposite on the mainland.

In addition to Tyre being a vital trade port, the Tyrians were known as workers in dye from the shells of the Murex shellfish. This purple dye was highly valued and held royal connotations in the ancient world. It also gave the Phoenicians their name - Phoenicians means "purple people". The city-state was the most powerful in all of Phoenicia along with the city-state of Sidon.

Tyre was in its golden age around the 10th century BCE and, in the 8th, was colonizing other sites in the area and enjoying great wealth and prosperity. Their success attracted the attention of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon who lay siege to the city for thirteen years in the 6th century BCE without breaking their defenses. During this siege most of the inhabitants of the mainland city abandoned it for the relative safety of the island city.

In 332 BCE Alexander the Great besieged Tyre and, dismantling much of the old mainland city as well as using fallen debris, rock and felled trees, filled in the sea between the mainland and the island to create a land bridge for his war machines. Over the centuries since, this caused heavy sedimentation to occur and permanently linked the island to the mainland. After a siege of seven months, Alexander used his man-made causeway to batter down the walls of Tyre and take the city. Tyre’s 30,000 inhabitants were either massacred or sold into slavery, and the city was destroyed by Alexander in his rage at their having defied him for so long.

The Romans took the ruined city as a colony in 64 BCE, rebuilt it, and constructed aqueducts and monuments and, of course, roads, which still exist today.

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Articles

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Alexander's Siege of Tyre, 332 BC

by Grant
published on 08 August 2011
After defeating Darius III at the battle of Issus in November 333 BC, Alexander marched his army (about 35,000-40,000 strong) into Phoenicia, where he received the capitulation of Byblus and Sidon. Tyrian envoys met with Alexander whilst he was on the march, declaring their intent to honour his wishes. Alexander's request was simple: he wished... [continue reading]
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Tyrian Purple

by Jan van der Crabben
published on 30 December 2010
Tyrian purple (Greek, πορφύρα, porphyra, Latin: purpura), also known as royal purple, imperial purple or imperial dye, is a purple-red dye, which is extracted from sea snails, and which was first produced by the ancient Phoenicians. This dye was greatly prized in antiquity because it did not fade, rather it became brighter... [continue reading]
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