TYRE, in ancient geography, a fa mous city of antiquity, on the coast of Phoenicia, 24 miles to the S. of Sidon. The first city of Tyre was built on the mainland, but the second and more im portant city was erected on an island about a mile long, running parallel with the shore, but separated from it by a strait of the Mediterranean a mile wide. The city covered the whole island, and was of extraordinary magnificence and beauty, while its wealth made it the envy of all surrounding nations. Tyre had two capacious harbors, and the whole island was surrounded by a strong wall 150 feet in height. It was the emporium of all the commerce of the then known world, and the fleets of its merchant princes traded to all parts of the earth. The Tyrians were celebrated for their splendid dyes, especially of scarlet and purple, for their skill in all mechanical arts, their metallic work, industry, and commerce. In the time of David and Solomon, the Tyrian king, Hiram, main tained friendly relations with the Israel ites, and his people, as the importers and chief workmen of Solomon, greatly as sisted that monarch in the building of his temple.
Tyre is repeatedly mentioned in the Old Testament for its strength, wealth, and beauty, and is threatened with de struction for its pride and grandeur. It
was frequently subjected to the horrors of war, endured many long and fearful sieges, and became nominally a tributary state to the Assyrians and Persians. Al exander III. took Tyre after a seven months' siege of extraordinary difficulty, during which he constructed a mole con necting the insular city with the main land, in July, 332 B. c. Tyre was taken from the Saracens by the Crusaders, after a siege of five months and a half, June 20, 1123. Saladin sought in vain to retake it in 1187. The prosperity of Tyre was not finally destroyed till the conquest of Syria by the Turks in 1516. At present it is a poor town, called Sur, or Soor. It occupies the E. side of what was formerly the island, 1 mile long, and Y2 mile from the shore, thus inclosing two so-called harbors separated by Alex ander's causeway, which is now a broad isthmus. The only real harbor is on the N.; but even this is too shallow to admit any but the smallest class of vessels. It is filled and the N. coast of the island lined with stone columns, whose size and countless number evince the former mag nificence of the famous city.