Only Alexander the Great would have the audacity to attempt such a daring siege - the fortified island city of Tyre seems invincible, but his Macedonian troops are inspired and determined, and the young Alexander has a secret weapon - a machine created for the destruction of cities: the catapult. If Tyre falls, it will be a pivotal victory in Alexander's quest for a new empire - a key stop on a march that will cover more than 10,000 miles and span three continents.
Mosaic from Pompeii, from a 3rd century BC
original Greek painting.
Alexander the Great is born in Pella, Greece in 356 BC. His father, Philip the Second of Macedon, is a visionary warrior who creates the first professional army of full-time soldiers. His mother is Olympias, a princess and a mystic. Alexander is tutored by Aristotle in science and mathematics, and he exhibits early his daring and unstoppable drive. Alexander is young and brash, but he is also a brilliant tactician. Philip is assassinated, and at the age of 20 Alexander the Great stands entirely in charge of the most feared army in the Greek world. He inspires his troops with unbounded confidence, personal bravery and a savvy mind for military tactics.
THE MACHINE
One of Alexander's most potent war machines is the ballista, named for the Greek word meaning "to throw." Early catapults use the force of tension to launch projectiles at enemy fortifications. Alexander has his engineers devise an even more powerful way of firing the ammunition employing the force of torsion. Earlier catapults could hit a target 200 yards away, but, with Alexander’s modifications, his ballista provides him with much greater power and nearly twice the range. Alexander’s catapult employs the energy of torsion-harnessing, using tightly twisted rope and animal gut. It can launch deadly heavy iron arrows, as well as heavy stones and rocks.
THE MOMENT
By 332 BC, the rivalry between Persia and Greece has been ongoing for hundreds of years. Alexander's father, Philip the Second, has united the many Greek states into one unified force, and now his son takes charge of the Kingdom and is marching against the Persian leader Darius III. After defeating Darius' army in key battles at the Granicus River and at Issus, Alexander faces no resistance as he moves down the Mediterranean coast. But he faces fierce resistance when he reaches the island city of Tyre – a seemingly impenetrable wall surrounds the entire island. Alexander must build a half-mile long bridge to reach the island fortress. After seven months of perilous construction, siege towers are built, and, using catapults on these, as well as ship-mounted ballistas, Alexander brings down the wall and conquers Tyre.
Alexander's skill as a strategist and the incredible power of the ballista combine to win the day and pave the way to siege engines that would change the shape of warfare. Another example of fate's fusion of man, moment and machine.
