Chap. I.

PHOENICIA N.

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s jiore. Old Tyre was first destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar , after a siege of thirteen years,le inhabitants having removed ail their treasures to the island. The conqueror was

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therefore obliged to rest satisfied with destroying the town on the main land, afterwhich he set out towards Egypt . The Tyrians were then compelled to submit

to the rule of the Babylonians ; and, forseventy years, were governed by kings of theirnomination. The Persians then restored to themtheir independence, whom they assisted whenXerxes carried on his wars against the Greeks : andHerodotus informs us that the kings of both Tyreand Sidon formed part of the Persian monarch’scouncil of war.

About 332 years before Christ these cities weredestroyed by Alexander, who, in his march towardsEgypt , compelled all the cities of Phoenicia to sub-mit to him.

Tyre obstinately refused him entrance, when heimmediately commenced the memorable siege, whichended by his taking the city by force of arms : theheight of the walls, the strength of the navy, andthe abundance of all things for defence, made it adifficult and almost hopeless attempt.

He began, says Diodorus , ’ by demolishingold Tyre, and employed his army to carry awaythe stones, and raise a mole, 200 feet in breadth,which was speedily advanced. Whilst this was

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aoin g> the Tyrians determined to send their wives, children, and old men to Carthage ,and keep their youn"- men to defend their walls ; but this was not carried into execution :™ e "’alls were covered with new-invented engines, and especially on that side where

JCn within a short distance, or the cast a dart a large whale

r as thrown upon it, much to the alarm of all parties: the citizens be.ng struck with theincrease of the mole, sallied out in small boats, accompanied by slingers and arc lers armedv 'th engines of all kinds for the discharge of arrows and darts.

A violent storm of wind arose, and destroyed a portion of the work, and broke thiough‘he mole. This was speedily repaired, by causing large trees, cut down in thefountains, to be thrown in, with their branches entire; on which was; heaped a quantity° f ear ‘h, to render it strong enough to resist the violence of the sea. When the mole was“'"Plete, and within a short distance of the walls, Alexander commenced battering_ themhO'vnt, discharging at the same time darts and arrows out of engines at the besieged.lh e Tyrians, to guard against these missiles, had contrived wheels with long spokes of

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