Sieges

Tyre. Alexander takes it by siege as they were refused entry into city walls. (siege therefore was a matter of pride). Foreign policy speech. Builds causeway. 3 prong siege: Phoenecians attack south, Cypriots north, and Macedonians barrage walls. Herakles dream omen.

332BCE, A 2.17-25

Gaza. City lead by Batis prepared for siege with provisions and mercenaries. “Alexander however, was firm in his belief that the greater the difficulty, the more necessary it was to take it” Innovative siege tactics to have earthwork 360 degrees, raised and have siege engines on top of it. Focused on the south section where it was weakest. Batis dragged around walls emulating Achilles dragging Hector. Inhabitants sold to slavery or killed. Omen of bird dropping stone on head.

332BCE, A 2.26-27

Sogdian rock. Held by Oxyartes the Bactrian. Believed the rock was ‘impregnable’ that Alex would need ‘soldiers with wings’. Alexander challenges this by incentivising talents to men who climbed to top of rock first (300). Oxyartes seeing this force surrenders thinking there is a bigger force he could not see. Alexander marries Roxanne, Oxyartes’ daughter

327BCE, A 4.18-19

Miletus. Two prong siege (land and naval blockade). Eagle omen - win the sea battle by land.

334BCE, A 1.18-19

Halicarnassus. Orontobates and Memnon led Persians. Important to capture as it was the principal naval base. Alexander fills moat to allow his siege engines to pass. Orontobates flees to acropolis. Due to disbandment of fleet, the siege takes a year under Ptolemy, who defeats Orontobates in 333BCE

334-333BCE, A 1.20-23

Cyropolis. Alexander sieges 5 of the 7 main towns in Bactria. Cyropolis best defended. Diversion attack with siege engines, Alexander takes personal guard and crawls through a hole under the walls being made for a river that had dried up. Opens gates from inside. Alex injured, stone to neck.

A 4.3-4

Rock of Aornus. Herakles failed to capture. 25 mile circumference, 8,000 feet tall and self sufficient from spring at summit. ‘The description of this remarkable place awakened in Alexander a passionate desire to capture it, and the story about Heracles was not the least of his incentives.

Native deserters offered to lead Alex to most vulnerable part of rock - sent Ptolemy in his stead.

Ptolemy met resistance there from Indians but managed to hold. Alex sent message to Ptolemy saying he should take offensive simultaneous to his own (attack on two fronts)

Alex move to follow path Ptolemy used and unite with him

Ravine stopped them Alex ordered every man to cut 100 stakes to begin construction of raised earthwork

4 days later a small group of Macedonians secured second height which Alex ordered to extend earthwork in that direction.

‘Seizure of this second height was… beyond their experience, they were badly shaken’

Alexander first to set foot on rock

326BCE, A 4.28-30

Malian Fortress. Alexander first to scale walls but ladder he climbed broke from too many Macedonians. Jumped from top of the wall as if he stayed ‘he might well be killed with nothing accomplished’. Alexander wounded above breast where Peucestas body blocks with shield from Troy. Macedonians rushed fortress; slaughtered women and children and carried Alex away. Upon returning, Alex greeted with cheers from men. Hephaiston rebukes Alex for recklessness

325BCE, A 6.9-11