One of the most unusual prophecies in the Bible concerns fate ancient city Tyra. It is not surprising that this example is used by almost all books written in defense of Christianity. The reason for this will soon become clear to you. (592-570 BC):
The prophecies about Tire were fulfilled in stages with amazing accuracy. Taken together, biblical prophecies provide grounds for viewing history as one multifaceted process.
Tyre was the center of the slave trade. Disgusting forms of idolatry, human sacrifices, and the burning of captives in honor of idols accompanied the holidays of the Tyrians. Old Tire (Paleotir) was located on the shore, and nearby, on an island, a new Tire grew up. It was an impregnable fortress.
Book of Ezekiel 26 Chapter
3. ...Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you. Tyre, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea raises its waves.
4. And they will break down the walls of Tyre and destroy its towers; and I will sweep away his dust from him and make him bare rock.
7 For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, against Tire from the north, with horses and chariots and horsemen and an army and a great people.
8. He will slay your daughters on earth with the sword and build siege towers against you, and build a rampart against you and place shields against you...
11 And they will plunder your wealth and spoil your goods, and destroy your walls, and break down your beautiful houses, and throw your stones and your trees and your land into the water.
14 And I will make you a naked rock, you will be a place for spreading snares; you will not be built again, for I the Lord have spoken this, says the Lord GOD.
21. I will make you a terror, and you will not be found, and they will seek you, but will never find you, says the Lord God.
Predictions
1. Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the continental city of Tire (26:8).
2. Many nations will go to war against Tire (26:3).
3. The city will become a flat, bare rock (26:4).
4. In the place where the city was, the fishermen will spread their nets (26:5).
5. The remains of the city will be thrown into the water (26:12).
6. The shooting gallery will never be rebuilt (26:14).
7. He will never be found again (26:21).
The predictions we talked about earlier spoke for themselves. Such predictions may seem contradictory. Fortunately, history knows no contradictions. We can only consider the history of Tyre and compare it with the prophecies of Ezekiel.
Execution
As a secular historian noted, "Ezekiel's anger, especially in verse 27:27, shows how important ancient Tire was in the eyes of the prophet, and how varied and rich was the trade of that city."
Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar began the siege of Tire three years after the prophecy. The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that "after a thirteen-year siege (from 585 to 573 BC)
Nebuchadnezzar II Tire made concessions and recognized the power of Babylon. In 538 BC. together with the rest of Phenicia, this city came under the rule of Persia, where the Achaemenid dynasty ruled." When Nebuchadnezzar burst into the city, he found it almost empty. Most of the population by ship crossed to an island that lay about a kilometer from the coast, and founded a new fortified city there .
Old Tire was destroyed in 573 (prediction 1), but Tire on the island remained a powerful city for several more centuries.
Alexander the Great
“During his war with Persia,” writes the Encyclopedia Britannica, “ Alexander III, having defeated Darius III at the Battle of Issus (333 BC), moved south to Egypt, calling on the Phoenician cities to open 
he has his own gates. Alexander's overall plan was to stop the use of these cities by the Persian fleet. The citizens of Tire refused to surrender, and then Alexander laid siege to the city.
Lacking a fleet, he destroyed the old Tyre, located on the continent, and from its debris he built a dam 60 m wide across the strait that separated the old and new cities. At the far end of the dam he erected towers and military engines" (Prediction 5). The ancient historian Curtius wrote that during the construction of the dam, wood from Mount Lebanon was used (for beams), and earth and stones were taken from old Tire (Prediction 5).
From the works of the Greek historian Arrian, we learn in detail about how the difficult task of conquering Tire was accomplished. This city was partly located on the continent, and partly on an island, where an exceptionally strong fortress was located. Having taken the mainland city, Nebuchadnezzar went around the island part of Tire. Alexander, as Arrian narrates, intended to take the entire city. The enterprise was difficult.
The island was entirely surrounded by strong walls that reached the very coastline. The inhabitants of Tire, like Alexander's enemies - the Persians led by Darius, controlled the sea, but this Greek commander decided to build an artificial spit that would reach the fortress. At first the work progressed well, but as the dam was built, the depth of the sea grew, and the inhabitants of Tire made increasingly frequent forays against the attackers.
Because of their high walls, they could cause significant harm to the attackers, especially if we remember that the latter were prepared for work rather than war, and did not wear armor, but ordinary work clothes. The forays of the inhabitants of Tire onto the dam under construction seriously slowed down its construction. To counteract the besieged, Alexander built two watchtowers with soldiers on the dam.
After this, the inhabitants of Tire launched a very successful raid on the dam.
They set fire to the watchtowers with the help of special ships and landed numerous troops, expelling the Greeks from the dam, causing as much damage as they could. Arrian further writes about naval battles. Realizing that he needed ships, Alexander demanded them from the conquered cities and regions. His fleet was thus created; about 80 ships were supplied by Sidon, Arad and Byblos, 10 by Rhodes, 3 by Soli and Mallos, 10 by Lycia, one large ship by Macedonia, and 120 by Cyprus (Prediction 2).
With such a powerful fleet, it was only a matter of time before Alexander conquered Tire using an earthen causeway. Despite interference from Darius, Alexander's enemy, the dam was eventually built, the walls of the city were destroyed and the city itself was destroyed. “A wide dam,” writes Philip Myers, “connecting the shore with
island, has survived to this day. When the city was taken after a seven-month siege, eight thousand inhabitants were killed and thirty thousand were sold into slavery."
It is no wonder that the inhabitants of Tire aroused such hatred among the Greeks.
The city's defenders used all available methods - including not the most plausible ones. “The defense of Tire and its complete fall to the Greek conquerors is a very sad event,” says John C. Beck. Here is an interesting quote from a history textbook written by secular scholar Philip Myers: “Alexander the Great reduced Tire to ruins (332 BC).
The city recovered to a certain extent from this blow, but never again occupied the same place in the world as before. Most of the place where this once lay great city, now looks like a bare rock (Prediction 3) - a place where the fishermen, still numerous in those parts, spread their nets to dry" (Prediction 4). John Beck writes about the fall of Tyre in a historical perspective: "The history of Tyre did not stop after its conquest by Alexander. It was rebuilt again and besieged again until, finally, sixteen centuries later, Tire was completely and irrevocably destroyed."
Antigonus
“Returning from the victorious wars in Babylonia,” writes Nina Jidejian, “Antigone easily conquered the Phoenician cities until he encountered stubborn resistance from Tire. Eighteen years have passed since the conquest of this city by Alexander, and it managed to rapidly revive... To conquer Tire, Antigonus it took a fifteen-month siege." Simple arithmetic shows that these events took place in 314 BC. According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, King Ptolemy II (Philadelphus) reigned from 285 to 247 B.C. Jidejian continues:
"When Ptolemy Philadelphus built the Berenicean harbor on the Red Sea, paved a road with villages and wells to Koptos and re-opened the canal connecting the Pelusian branch of the Nile with the Gulf of Suez. Tire was dealt a fatal blow. Ships belonging to Tire used to sail from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean through the port of Elote to Rhinocolura in Phenicia via Petra, and then to various ports in the Mediterranean. Now the sailors sailed through the canal to Alexandria, where all the wealth that in the old days came to Tyre was sent."
The researcher cites the story of the Persian traveler Nasir-i-Khusraw, who visited Tire in 1047 AD. “They built their city on a rock, in the sea, in such a way that the city government is located on the continent, on an area about a hundred meters long, while the rest rises directly from the water.
The walls are made of cut stone, the seams are layered with resin so that water does not penetrate through them. The area of the city reaches a thousand square arshins, its caravanserais are built five to six floors, towering above each other. The city has many fountains, its markets are clean, and its wealth is great. This city of Tire is generally famous among the Syrian ports for its wealth and power. Mashhad, a temple dedicated to the martyrs, was erected at the city gates, where you can see a great variety of carpets, hanging decorations, lamps and lamps of gold and silver. The city itself stands on a hill. Water comes into it from the mountain, through an aqueduct that reaches the city gates."
Muslims
Since the city was once taken by Muslims, the Crusaders also fought for it, eventually capturing the island. During the Crusades, it served as an important stronghold, but was still recaptured by the Muslims. This is how the historian Joseph Michaud describes it: “Having taken and destroyed Ptolemais, the Sultan sent one of his emirs with a detachment of troops to conquer Tire, and the city, gripped by horror, opened its gates without resistance... These cities, which did not give any help to Ptolemais in a decisive battle, they believed that they were under the protection of a truce. But their population was killed, scattered, sold into slavery: the rage of the Muslims spread even to the stones of these cities, and it seemed that they
seek to destroy the very land on which Christians walked. Their houses, temples, monuments, their households and everything that makes up the pride of Christians - all this was destroyed along with the inhabitants with the help of fire and sword" (Prediction 6).
"In 690 (1291) the city was again taken by the Muslims at the same time as Akra and others seaside towns. Destroyed, it lies in ruins to this day,” wrote the Arab historian Abulfiela in 1321.
Lestrange quotes another Arab historian, Ibn Batuta, who visited the ruins of Tire in 1355. “The power of this city, which was washed on three sides by the sea, has become a proverb. Nowadays, only ruins remain of the ancient walls and port, and the chain blocking the mouth of the port has been preserved from the old days” (Prediction 6).
Pliny the Elder, whom we quote from Nina Jidejian, sums it up as follows: “Tire... once famous as the mother of the cities of Leptis, Utica, Carthage, the great rival of Rome in the struggle for world domination, as well as Cadiz, founded outside the inhabited world; but all the wealth and glory of Tire now consists of lobsters and purple dye obtained from shells" (Prediction 7).
Current situation of Tyre
Ina Jidejian describes today's Tire (now Sur): "This port is still in use today. Small fishing boats anchor here. In the foundations of the former city, granite columns from Roman times are visible, which were used to strengthen the walls built by the Crusaders. The port has become a fishing harbor and a place where fishermen dry their nets."
“As the prophet predicted, Tire was supposed to turn into a place for drying fishing nets,” writes another researcher. “Today’s Sur is a town built on the coast at some distance from the ancient one. On the site of old Tire now stands a fishing village, which is not a refutation , but the final fulfillment of the prophecy.
Tyre, king of the seas, the craft and commercial center of the world for centuries, perished, never to be reborn. Fishermen spreading their nets on the rocks that once served as the foundation of an ancient city, the last link in the chain of Ezekiel’s prophecies made twenty-five centuries ago" (Prediction 4). Nina Jidejian in her wonderful book writes in conclusion that "the stones of Tyre can be found in in such remote places as Acre and Beirut. And yet the evidence of its great past is very numerous.
Recent archaeological excavations have revealed successive layers of this proud Phoenician port... The great ancient city of Tyre rests beneath layers of accumulated ruins. Above ground, only the remains of an aqueduct, several columns scattered throughout the territory, and the ruins of a Christian chapel were found... Looking into the water, you can see massive granite columns and stone blocks scattered along the seabed. Until recently there were almost no ruins of Tyre above ground level."
Specific fulfillment of prophecies
We have outlined the history of the ancient city of Tyre. Let's see how it compares with Ezekiel's specific predictions.
1. Nebuchadnezzar did destroy the old (continental) city of Tire.
2. Many nations went to war against Tyre. “The peculiarity of the waves is that they come one after another, exerting a destructive effect through successive continuous impacts,” notes John Beck. “The prophecies of Ezekiel should therefore be understood as predicting a series of conquests over a long period of time.
In the light of this interpretation, the content of Art. 4-6. First of all, “they will break down the walls of Tire and destroy its towers” (conquest by Nebuchadnezzar). Then “I will sweep away his dust from him and make him a bare rock” (siege by Alexander the Great). And finally, “he will be a plunder for the nations” (the story following the siege of Alexander the Great).”
3. Alexander the Great, building his dam for the siege of the island fortress, destroyed the old Tyre, turning it into a “bare rock”.
4. The spreading of fishing nets on the site of old Tire has been repeatedly noted by researchers, including secular scholars and historians. “Pale turquoise fishing nets were drying on the shore...” Nina Nelson writes about a trip to Tire. “It’s unlikely that even one stone of ancient Tyre lies in its place,” wrote Hans-Wolf Racl, “as the prophet predicted. Tyre has become a place where fishermen dry their nets.”
5. While building his dam, Alexander threw into the water what was left of the city. "Ezekiel's prophecy that the 'stones, trees, and earth' of Tyre would be 'thrown into the water,'" writes Joseph Free, "was exactly fulfilled when Alexander the Great's sappers built a siege dam using the rubble of ancient Tire on the mainland as material." , and laying them in water." Nina Nelson, in her Guide to Lebanon, notes that "the ruins of ancient Tire are unique because they lie in the heart of the sea."
6. The city of Tire will never be rebuilt. “You will not be built again,” the prophet predicted. In his book "Fundamentals of the Christian Faith," Floyd Hamilton emphasizes that other cities were rebuilt more than once after conquest. “Jerusalem was destroyed more than once, but each time it rose from the ruins. There was nothing to indicate that the city of Tire would not be restored.
And yet, twenty-five centuries ago, the Jewish prophet, in his Babylonian exile, looked into the future at the behest of the Lord and inscribed the words “and you will not be rebuilt again.” The voice of God sounded, and ancient Tyre remains to this day a bare rock abandoned by man! Anyone who wants to know the location of the former city will be pointed to a stretch of coastline where not a single section of ruins remains.
The city disappeared from the face of the earth and was never rebuilt." On the site of ancient Tire is Reseline, an abundant source of fresh water, which undoubtedly at one time fed the ancient city. This source is still there, and is just as abundant, but the water from it flow into the sea. According to experts, the flow of fresh water reaches about 37 million liters per day. This amount is enough to supply even large modern city- and yet Tire was never rebuilt, in other words, Ezekiel's prophecy has not been broken for more than 2500 years.
7. The city will never be found again. Most commentators agree that the real location of the destroyed Tyre can no longer be established. Probably, these words can be more accurately interpreted in the sense that people will not be looking for the place where Tire was located, but for the return of the city to its former wealth and glory.
It is hard to believe that it is impossible to find the ruins of a city that once occupied an entire island and was surrounded by walls that went down to the water. Some people still do not accept the fulfillment of the prophecy that Tire will never be rebuilt, because in its place there is a fishing village. The existence of the village cannot be denied, but the prophecy itself should not be denied on this basis.
Indeed, if we remember it in its entirety, we will find that Tire should turn into a place for spreading fishing nets, which is exactly what happened. To spread the nets, the owners of these nets are needed, that is, fishermen. They, in turn, need to live somewhere, and if they spread their nets on the site of the ancient city, according to the prophecy, then they are unlikely to build their village 10 kilometers from it - they will live where their nets are located.
When Tire was destroyed in 1291, it perished and was never rebuilt. The settlement that arose in its place resembled ancient Tire no more than, say, the city of Seattle or Vladivostok.
“I visited Sur on a summer day,” recalls Nina Nelson. “The town was sleepy, calm reigned over the harbor. Pale turquoise fishing nets were drying on the shore.”
Hans-Wolf Rackl in “Underwater Archaeology” notes that “it is unlikely that even a single stone of ancient Tire lies in its place... The settlers who appeared after the destruction of the city used its ruins to build their own huts. As the prophet predicted, Tire became to a place for drying fishing nets."
In his book Travels in Lebanon, Philip Ward admits that "Since then (1261) agriculture and fishing, two occupations of peaceful and modest people, first turned Tire into a provincial corner."
In his statistical analysis, Peter Stoner uses seven of Ezekiel's predictions, six of which are the same as those given in this chapter (1-6). “If Ezekiel’s predictions at one time were made on the basis of human wisdom,” the researcher writes, “then the probability of the fulfillment of all seven prophecies would be one chance in 75 million. Nevertheless, they all came true down to the smallest detail.”
In the photo, the Sidon Fortress, which in the past protected the city port, was built in the 13th century. by the crusaders as a fortress on an island that is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The fortress was repeatedly destroyed by invaders and restored by themselves. Today, what remains of the castle is a pair of towers connected by a wall.
History of Sidon
The ancient city of Sidon is located on the coast. In ancient times it was a Phoenician city-state, one of the largest in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The exact time of Sidon's appearance has not yet been established. According to the generally accepted point of view, it apparently arose in the 4th millennium BC. e. This ancient city of Phenicia was located in a coastal valley less than 2 km wide.
In the 2nd millennium BC. e. it was a major center of international trade. To defend its right to this, Sidon waged a stubborn struggle, including an armed one, with its neighbor, the city of Tire, for a dominant position in the politics and trade of Phenicia.
At the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. Sidon took an active part in the Phoenician colonization of the Western Mediterranean.
It became the metropolis of many colonies, and its ships, as Herodotus noted, were known for their fast speed. Like all the main Phoenician cities, Sidon was ruled by royal dynasties. Built partly on the mainland and partly on small islands, the city had two excellent harbors - in the north and in the south.
At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. the influence and power of the city weakened, and it fell under the rule of Tyre. This marked the beginning of the slow decline of Sidon.
In 701 BC. e. it was captured by the Assyrian army. The rulers of Assyria appointed their governors to the city, but the Sidonians, accustomed to freedom over many centuries of independence, repeatedly raised anti-Assyrian uprisings. When the patience of the king of Assyria ended, in 677 BC. e. he ordered the destruction of Sidon.
However, Sidon did not give up and was rebuilt, although little remained of its former splendor and grandeur, and now it was destined to become an ordinary port city. From those times, the remains of the temple of Eshmun, the Phoenician god and patron of Sidon, have been preserved.
In the second half of the 6th century. BC e. Sidon was forcibly annexed to the Achaemenid power, and its kings became vassals paying tribute to the Persian rulers. It is known that the Phoenician dynasty of Sidonian kings enjoyed special respect at the Persian court. But ordinary Sidonians repeatedly rebelled against the Persians. Until in 342 or 351 BC. e. both of its harbors and strong coastal fortifications were not destroyed by order of the Persian king Artaxerxes III, after which the city became easily accessible to the enemy.
But, since some of its berths remained intact, the city was again restored by alliances of traders and seafarers. And in ancient times, Sidon remained a bustling trading port. In the 4th century. BC e. he began to intensively develop relations with Athens, and subsequently with the power of Alexander the Great. A prominent military leader practically rebuilt Sidon and held the Olympic Games there. Then the supreme power over Sidon successively belonged to the Ptolemies and Seleucids.
During the Roman era, the Hellenization of Sidon continued, and the city's economy was based on the production of ivory carvings, gold and silver jewelry, colorful glassware, the manufacture of purple dye, and purple cloth.
At the time of Jesus, most of the inhabitants of Sidon were Greek.
The heaviest damage to the well-being of the city was caused by the earthquake of 501. In 637, Sidon surrendered to the Arabs without resistance. Subsequently, he suffered a lot from the crusaders, who robbed him constantly. They left behind a fortress of two towers on the island and the ruins of the castle of Saint-Louis.
Today Sidon is the third largest city in Lebanon, it is called Saida and is located west of the ancient city, where ruins do not interfere with the construction of new houses.
In our time, there is little that reminds us of the past greatness of the Phoenician cities, and the current Sidon and Tire are relatively small towns fishermen After thousands of years, the sea swallowed up the dams, jetties and embankments. Today they are studied by submarine archaeologists.
History of Tyre
Under King Hiram, a contemporary of the legendary King Solomon, Tire became the capital of a vast empire. Its colonies were scattered throughout the Mediterranean.
The city of Tyre is now called Sur. It is the fourth largest city in Lebanon (after Sidon Saida) and one of the country's main ports. The city's economy depends almost entirely on tourism. Among the local attractions is the ancient Roman hippodrome, included in the list World Heritage UNESCO. At the same time, El Rashidiya is located here: one of the largest Palestinian refugee camps for 20 thousand people.
The coast of Tire is included in nature reserve: This is an important nesting site for migratory birds, as well as a breeding ground for green and loggerhead sea turtles, the pygmy pipistrelle bat, and the rare sea pancratium flower.
Tire is an ancient Phoenician city-state on east coast Mediterranean Sea, located relatively close to Sidon-Saida. The historical fate of Tire is in many ways similar to the fate of Sidon.
Presumably it arose, like Sidon, in the 4th millennium BC. e. The main buildings were on the island; only suburbs and cemeteries remained on the mainland. In the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. e. it was an important craft and trade center.
At the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. immigrants from Tire became famous as skilled and brave sailors. They founded numerous colonies on the islands of the Mediterranean, in particular Cyprus and Sicily. But their main colony was in North Africa and was called Carthage; there was also the settlement of Lique on the Atlantic coast of Africa. Tire also had colonies in what is now Spain, for example Gades (Cadiz) west of the Strait of Gibraltar. The glory of Tire gradually eclipsed the glory of Sidon. In the 10th century BC e. under King Hiram - a contemporary of the legendary King Solomon - Tire became the capital of a vast maritime power.
Tire has always been not only a neighbor, but also the main rival of Sidon.
“It is richer in fish than in sand,” it is said about Tire in an ancient Egyptian papyrus. The biblical prophet Ezekiel noted the strength and luxury of his ships.
From the 8th century BC e. Tire came under the rule of Assyria and remained a vassal of it until the beginning of the 6th century. BC e., when it was captured by the Neo-Babylonian kingdom. At that time, part of the Assyrian territories separated from Assyria, then contributed to its fall and division along with Tire.
From the second half of the 6th century. Tire is part of the Achaemenid power, having ended up there during the aggressive campaigns of the kings of Ancient Persia. Despite this, navigation and trade flourish in Phenicia, and Tire still remains the “sea gate” of the Ancient East.
In 332 BC. e. Tyre was taken and destroyed by Alexander the Great. But still, Tire rose from the ruins and, as the ancient geographer Strabo wrote, “returned again, thanks to navigation, in which the Phoenicians always surpassed other peoples.”
In 64 BC. e. Roman legions landed in Tire, and it became part of the province of Syria.
Tire's port facilities amazed contemporaries. Underwater archaeological research has shown that the first ancient breakwater went 200 m into the sea, the width of the breakwater was 8 m. A second, even larger breakwater, 750 m long, was found even deeper. A passage for ships was left in the middle of the breakwater. Underwater, fortifications were discovered on each of the two piers, as well as two dams 100 m long.
When Phenicia fell into decay, no one began to repair all these capital structures. Port buildings went under water, dams, harbors, jetties, even the embankments of ancient Tire ended up at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.
general information
Location : southwest Lebanon.
Administrative affiliation : Sidon - Saida region, Tire - Sur region, South Lebanon governorate.
Founded: around 4th millennium BC e.
Language: Arabic, Armenian, Greek.
Ethnic composition : Arabs, Armenians, Greeks.
Religions: Islam - 90%, including Shiism 50%, Sunnism 40%; Alawism, Druze religion; Christianity - about 10%, including Catholicism (Maronites) and Orthodoxy.
Currency unit : Lebanese pound.
Rivers: Sidon - Avali and Sainik.
Airport: them. Rafika Hariri-Beirut (international).
Numbers
Square: Sidon - 7.86 km 2 , Tire - 17 km 2 .
Population: Sidon - 57,800 people, Tire - about 90,000 people. (2008).
Population density : Sidon - 7353.9 people/km 2 , Tire - 5294 people/km 2 (2008).
Average altitude : Sidon - 22 m, Tyre - 10 m.
Remoteness: Sidon - 40 km. south of Beirut, 35 km north of Tire (40 km by road), Tire - 75 km south of Beirut.
Climate and weather
Subtropical, Mediterranean.
Mild and rainy winters, hot and dry summers.
Average January temperature : -14°C.
Average temperature in July : +27°С.
Average annual precipitation : 820 mm.
Average annual relative humidity : 70%.
Economy
Fishing.
Services sector: tourism, transport, trade.
Attractions
Sidon
Ruins of the Phoenician temples of Eshmun (VII century BC) and Melqart (VII century BC)
Temple and throne of Astarte (III century BC)
Synagogue (833)
Sidon Sea Castle (XIII century)
Castle Saint-Louis (XIII century)
Khan el-Franj (French caravanserai, 17th century)
Ottoman Debbani Palace (1721)
British War Cemetery (1943)
Soap Museum (2000)
Shooting Range
Ruins of the Phoenician temple of Melqart (XXVIII century BC)
Arc de Triomphe (332 BC, reconstruction)
Archaeological complex of al-Mina excavations - ruins of ancient Roman buildings of the 2nd-3rd centuries. (theater, agora square, palaestra (gymnastic school), baths, necropolis, hippodrome)
Ruins of the Church of the Holy Cross (XII century)
Thira Coast Nature Reserve (1998)
Phoenician springs of Ras al-Ain
Curious facts
The city's name comes from a Phoenician word meaning "fishing". The Arabic "saidah" means the same thing.
In ancient times, the name Sidon was often applied by both foreign and local sailors to the entire Phoenician coast of the Eastern Mediterranean. This was explained by the importance of Sidon at that time.
There is a legend that during an unsuccessful uprising against the Persians in 342 or 351 BC. e. 40 thousand inhabitants of Sidon burned themselves along with their property in their homes, so as not to fall into the hands of the victors and not be subjected to painful execution. It could be quite probable historical fact: in ancient times, the area of the city was much larger, and up to 100 thousand people lived in it.
Sidon was mentioned several times in biblical sources. Joshua calls the city the great Sidon (Joshua 11:8; 19:28). In Jacob's blessing it is called the border of the settlement of the tribe of Zebulun (Gen. 49:13). The Bible says that Sidon, when dividing the land, was assigned to the tribe of Asher (Joshua 19:28), which, however, never took possession of it (Judges 1:31). Jesus came to the borders of Sidon (Matthew 15:21; Mark 7:24), and the inhabitants of this city came to him to receive help from Him (Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17; Matt 11:22 ). On his way to Rome, Paul found a Christian church here (Acts 27:3).
The Israelites, while conquering Canaan, were unable to take possession of Sidon. Zion's steadfastness infuriated the Israelites, who considered the Sidonians to be enemies of Israel and its faith. For this reason, the Old Testament prophets more than once foreshadowed the coming judgment of Sidon, “mired” in luxury and vice (Jer. 27:3ff.; Joel. 3:4ff.; Ezek. 28:21ff.). The sad fate of Sidon is perceived by the Israelis as the fulfillment of ancient predictions.
The ancient Greek poet Homer wrote in his poems about “copper-rich Sidon” and the “skillful Sidonians.” Copper was not mined in Sidon, it was brought there for glass production: copper oxide is used in the production of glass and giving it green and blue colors, as well as in the production of copper-ruby glass.
Sidon was for a long time the first among the Phoenician cities in what is today southern Lebanon. There is an assumption that Tire was founded by a group of Sidonians dissatisfied with the “ruling regime”. For a long time, Sidon did not pay attention to its rapidly growing competitor, until around 1200 BC. e. was not surpassed by Tyre. The Bible reports that Tire bypassed Sidon so much that Sidonian woodcutters and sailors were in his service (3 Chron. 5:6; Ezek. 27:8).
Unlike Sidon and other Phoenician cities, Tire did not want to surrender to the mercy of the conqueror of the Persians, Alexander the Great. No wonder: before this, no one had ever managed to take this fortress city, located on an island, by storm. At first, Alexander the Great did not succeed either. And then the commander, accustomed to solving any problem on a grand scale, decided: if the troops cannot take the island-fortress, then it is necessary to make sure that it ceases to be an island. By order of the emperor, an embankment was built across the strait separating Tire from the mainland in seven months: it has survived to this day. The city fell, was destroyed and plundered, and the people who survived the assault and wild massacre were sold into slavery.
The biblical prophet Ezekiel, addressing Tire, says this about his ships: “All your platforms were built from the Senir cypress trees; they took cedar from Lebanon to make masts for you; They made your oars from the oak trees of Bashan; your benches were made of beech wood, with frames of ivory from the islands of Chittim; patterned fabrics from Egypt were used for your sails and served as a flag; blue and purple fabrics from the islands of Elisha were your veil” (Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, chapter 27, 5-7).
In 53 BC. e. Tire fell under Roman rule. Cleopatra asked Mark Antony to transfer the city to her, but he refused, since Tyre had the status of a free city.
The location of Thira remained controversial for a long time 1 . Its final location was established by E.R. Stern 2 at the beginning of the 20th century, who discovered it as a result of excavations in 1900 and 1912. on the territory of the courtyards of the Akkerman fortress and the fortress square there is a thick layer of the ancient period. The excavations of Thira were not systematic and were sporadic. In 1918, 1927-1930 research was carried out by Romanian archaeologists 3, in 1932, 1935, 1940 - by the scientific curator b. Akkerman Museum by V. A. Shakhnazarov. After the Great Patriotic War, the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR began systematic research of Tire. From 1945 to 1950 the work was carried out under the leadership of L. D. Dmitrov 4. In 1953, 1958-1960 these excavations were continued under the direction of the author 5 .
The literature devoted to the history of the city is small. The results of post-war excavations have not been published in full.
Founded on the right bank of the Dniester estuary, Tire occupied a very advantageous geographical position. Scientists determine the date of the emergence of Thira differently. Some 8 - V.N. Yurgevich, E. Minns, M. Ebert, E. Diehl 7, P. Nicorescu attributed the emergence of Thira to the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. ; others 8 - E. R. Stern, A. N. Zograf, L. D. Dmitrov 9 and V. D. Blavatsky 10 believe that Tire as a city can only be talked about from the 5th century. BC e.
1 I. A. Stempkovsky. Research on the location of ancient Greek settlements. SPb., 1826, pp. 21-23; P. V. Becker. Tiras and tirits. ZOOID, vol. II, 1848, pp. 418, 419: F. K. Brun. About the location of Tiras. ZOOID, vol. III, 1853, p. 49; his own. Black Sea region, part I. Odessa, 1879, pp. 3-13.
2 E. R. Stern. About the latest excavations in Akkerman. ZOOID, vol. XXIII, 1901, pp. 33-61; his own. Excavations in Akkerman in the summer of 1912, ZOOID, vol. XXXI, 1913, pp. 92-101.
3 R. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte a Tyras. "Ephemeris Dacoromana", II, 1924, p. 378-415; his own. Fouilles de Tyras. "Dacia", III-IV, 1933, p. 557-601.
4 L. D. Dmitrov. Bilgorod-Dniester archaeological expedition. AP URSR, vol. II, 1949, pp. 39-52; his own. Excavations in the city of Bilgorod-Dnistrovsky in 1947. AP URSR, vol. IV, 1952, pp. 59-64; his own. Main bags of the Izmail archaeological expedition 1949-50 pp. AP URSR, vol. V, 1955, pp. 111-123.
5 A. I. Furmanska. Archaeological monuments of Tires in the first centuries of our era. "Archaeology", vol. X, 1957, pp. 80-93; A. I. Furmanskaya and E. V. Maksimov. Excavations in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. KSIA AN Ukrainian SSR, vol. 5, pp. 64-67; A. I. Furmanska. Excavations of Tiri in 1958 AP URSR, vol. XI, pp. 123-138.
6 T. D. Zlatkovskaya. About the initial period of the history of Tire. CA, 1959, No. 2, p. 61.
7 E. Diehl. RE, s. v. Tyras, Stuttgart, 1860.
8 T. D. Zlatkovskaya. Decree. cit., p. 61.
9 L. D. Dmitrov. Tira. “Drawings of the long-standing history of the URSR”, Kiev, 1957, p. 271.
10 V. D. Blavatsky. Process of historical development ancient states in North
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Information from ancient authors about Tire is very scarce. According to Pseudo-Skymnus (vv. 798-803): “The Tyra River, deep and abundant in pastures, provides merchants with trade in fish, and cargo ships safe swimming. On the river lies the city of the same name, Tire, founded by the Milesians.”
The latter is confirmed by the fact that the inhabitants of Tire used the Milesian calendar, preserved in inscriptions from the villages of Chobruchi and Korotnoye and almost completely coinciding with the calendar of Miletus and its colonies 11. Meanwhile, the foundation of the Milesian colonies on the western and northern coasts of the Black Sea dates back to the 7th-6th centuries. BC e., and by the end of the 6th century. BC e. the process of colonization of these shores was largely completed. Appearance large settlements on the banks of the Dniester estuary at this time is also confirmed by excavations of the Roksolan settlement 12. All this allows us to believe that Tire, like its closest neighbors - Olbia and Istria, was founded no later than the 6th century. BC e., which, however, is not yet sufficiently confirmed by archaeological data. Finds of Ionian ceramics mentioned in the literature 13 and the handle of an Ionian jug 14 from the 6th century found in 1960. BC e. only indirectly confirm the likelihood of this date.
Excavation data and random finds of coins, ancient ceramics, and sculptures make it possible to determine that in ancient times the city occupied an area of over 20 hectares. The remains of ancient Thira are located under the medieval Akkerman fortress, the fortress square and the streets closest to the fortress. The liminal part of the city was destroyed both by the waters of the estuary and by later structures. The Acropolis occupied an elevated and protected site, where a medieval fortress was later built.
The necropolis of the city has not yet been discovered.
The location of the so-called Scythian grave and the grave near the village. Salgany 15 allows us to suggest that in the first centuries AD the necropolis was located on the shore of the estuary, 1.5-2 km south-southeast of the city.
At the present stage archaeological research It is still difficult to reconstruct the general socio-economic history of the city. In this work we will try, on the basis of literary information and new archaeological material, to outline only general outline the course of historical development of the city.
The early stage of the city’s history (VI-V centuries BC) is little known. Building remains of the 6th-5th centuries. BC e. not found yet. Currently, we have only isolated finds of things from the 6th - early 5th centuries. BC e. and a relatively large amount of material from the second half of the 5th century. BC e. These are predominantly black-glazed and red-figured Attic ceramics, indicating ties between Thira and Athens, which especially intensified at the end of the 5th century. BC e. It is unlikely that the expansion of these ties should be explained by the results of Pericles’ expedition to Pontus and the inclusion of Thira among the members of the Athenian Maritime League, assumed by some scientists. The latter is generally very doubtful.
Mr. Black Sea region. Sat. "Problems of History Northern Black Sea region in the ancient era", M., 1959, pp. 13, 14.
11 V. N. Yurgevich. Opened in 1867 in the village. Chobruchi Greek inscription of the ancient city of Thira. ZOOID, vol. VI, 1867, p. 15. V. V. Latyshev. About the calendars of Olbia, Tira and Chersonese Tauride. “ΠΟΝΤΙΚΑ”, St. Petersburg, 1909, pp. 25-40; F. Bilabel. Die ionische Kolonisation. Leipzig, 1920, S. 70.
12 M. S. Sinitsyn. Roksolan settlement according to excavations of 1958-1960. Report read on March 18, 1961 at the Scientific Session of Odessa State University and Odessa State Archaeological Museum, dedicated to the results of field archaeological research in 1960.
13 E. R. Stern. Excavations in Akkerman in the summer of 1912, ZOOID, XXXI, p. 100; R. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte..., p. 383-384.
14 Funds of the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, inv. No. 328.
15 L. D. Dmitrov. Main bags of the Izmail archaeological expedition 1949-50 pp. page 117.
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It is not easy to illuminate the question of the nature of the economy of Thira at this stage, since clothing material is almost completely absent. One can only agree with the assumption made by T.D. Zlatkovskaya 16 about the agricultural nature of the economy of Tira in the early times and the opinion of A.N. Zograf that the economy of Tira “as an established urban organism was built primarily on agriculture and trade in grain” 17 . Indeed, the typology of the early coins of Tyra with the image of Demeter, ears of corn, wreaths of ears of ears testifies to the development of agriculture, images of a bridled horse and a bull indicate the important importance of cattle breeding. Considering the location of Thira between Olbia and the Western Pontic cities, the mutual connections of which through coastal navigation are confirmed by a number of monuments, it seems possible to assume that intermediary trade also played a certain role in the city’s economy at this early stage.
Of great interest is the question of the relationship between Tira and the population of the Dniester region. The results of excavations suggest that by the time of the arrival of Greek settlers, the middle and partly upper Dniester region was inhabited by a settled agricultural population. Local settlements of the 7th-6th centuries. BC e. on the Lower Dniester we don’t know. The picture of the settlement of tribes in this part of the Black Sea region becomes clearer only from the 4th century. BC e. When studying the settlements of the Middle Dniester region, no monuments of ancient culture of the early period were discovered until recently. And only recently, in 1958-1960. during excavations of an agricultural settlement near the village. In Ivan Pusta Melnitsa, Podolsk district, Ternopil region, O. D. Ganina discovered a small number of fragments of amphorae from the second half of the 6th - early 5th centuries. BC e. It is also necessary to take into account individual finds of ancient material from the mounds of Western Podolia 18 and southern Moldova 19 .
If at this early stage, in terms of its size and population, Thira was a city less significant than its closest neighbors Olbia and Istria, then, undoubtedly, the initial stage of its history prepared the flowering of the city’s economy and culture at the subsequent, second stage of its development (V- III centuries BC). Excavations in recent years make it possible to trace the growth of the urban area from the end of the 5th to the beginning of the 4th century. BC e. Opened basements of 4th century buildings on the fortress square. BC e. indicate the inclusion of this square into the city in the V-IV centuries. BC e. The city was located in a terrace-like manner, with transverse streets running along the estuary, and longitudinal streets running perpendicularly. On this square in the 4th century BC. e. public buildings were located. The same type of plans for the basement floors of the buildings, separated by a small alley (1.60 m wide), the large dimensions of the premises themselves allow us to consider them as public buildings. Construction in Tyre, as well as in Olbia, is characterized by the construction of basement floors. The walls of the basements were built on leveled rock, and special pits were cut out in the mainland, the walls of which were closely adjacent to the rubble masonry of the basements, lined with slabs from the inside. The slabs are laid on clay mortar, almost dry. The walls of these premises are distinguished by their monumentality (the thickness of the external walls is 0.80 m, and the internal ones - more than 1.0 m) and the carefulness of the square masonry from well-hewn rectangular slabs.
Epigraphic monuments of this time allow us to judge state system, economic relations and cultural life of the city.
Inscription from the end of the 4th-3rd centuries. BC e. 20 is a decree of the council and the people
16 T. D. Zlatkovskaya. Decree. cit., p. 66 seq.
17 A. N. Zograf. Antique coins. MIA, No. 16, M., 1949, p. 111.
18 T. Sulimirski, Scytowie na Zachodniem Podolu. Lwow, 1936, str. 119.
19 A. I. Melyukova. Monuments of the Scythian time of the forest-steppe middle Dniester region. MIA, No. 64, M., 1958, p. 90.
20 P. O. Karyshkovsky. Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions of Sarmatia and Taurida. VDI, 1959, No. 4, p. 112.
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th meeting about awarding a certain citizen of Tyre with a golden wreath and then crowning him during all the festivities together with other “benefactors” for his valor and benevolence towards the people. Along with the council and the people, the college of archons and agonothetes are also mentioned, that is, the authorities and officials usual for the Greek polis. This inscription, along with another honorary inscription from the end of the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC e. 21 indicates a further increase in property inequality, the identification of wealthy citizens who have provided “good deeds” to the city.
By the second half of the 4th century. BC e. refers to the beginning of the minting of the city of Thira’s own coin. Unlike Olbia, but like most other cities of the Black Sea region, the first coins of Tire were minted from silver 22. By the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 2nd century. BC e. golden staters of the Lysimakhov type appear, which indicates, in the opinion of A. N. Zograf 23, an attempt by Tira to enter the arena of broader trade relations. This assumption of A. N. Zograf is fully confirmed by the mentioned inscription, which attests to the connections of Tyra with Olbia, Cyzicus and Rhodes.
Agriculture remains the mainstay of the city's economy. The emergence of most settlements in the territory adjacent to the city dates back to this time: near the present village. Peremoyashoe, near the village. Shvdenne-Saria, Semenovka. A number of settlements arise south of Thira near the village. Shabo, Budaki and other places. According to intelligence materials from employees of the Odessa Museum 24, the settlements on the western bank of the Dniester estuary date back to the 4th-2nd centuries. BC e.; Of these, the settlement at the station is of greatest interest. Bugaz (Zatoka). Settlement IV-II centuries. BC e. was also discovered near a stone quarry, between Belgorod-Dnestrovsky and the village. Salgany. Antique ceramics are found along the entire coast of the estuary. The appearance of these settlements indicates the expansion of the city's agricultural district, the increased development of agriculture and, perhaps, even its specialization.
A number of data indicate the development of various crafts. Near the suburb of Peremozhny, ceramic kilns were discovered in the pre-war years; amphoras with the mark ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟ[Υ] on the handles were found in them. Molds for making terracotta have been found in small quantities.
Single casting molds, copper and iron slags indicate the development of metalworking craft. Finds of spindle whorls indicate weaving craft. The wide scope of urban construction suggests the existence of local stonemasons and builders.
As we noted above, by the end of the 6th - beginning of the 5th century. BC e. The beginning of economic relations between Tira and the population of the Dniester region should be attributed. Treasure of metal objects V--IV centuries. BC e. (helmets, knemids, lamps), found in Olonesti, near the station. Bessarabskaya (kept in the museum in Chisinau), probably came here also through Tira, like earlier objects. In the IV-III centuries. BC e. these connections become more regular and intense. Antique ceramics appear in settlements (for example, at the Sakharnyanskoe settlement, at settlements near the villages of Vykhvatintsy, Golerkany) 25. At the Butuchen settlement, Orhei district, at a settlement near this settlement 26 and near the village. Roksolana, located on the opposite bank, almost opposite Thira, coins of Thira of the 4th-3rd centuries were found. BC e. 27
21 A. I. Furmanskaya. New epigraphic monument from Thira. SA, 1960, No. 4, pp. 173-179.
22 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, pp. 19-26.
23 Ibid., p. 27.
24 I. B. Kleiman, K. I. Revenko. Archaeological guards at the entrance to the birch of the Dniester estuary. MAPP, c. II, Odessa, 1959, p. 118.
25 A. I. Melyukova. Decree. cit., p. 95 seq.
26 L. L. Polevoy kindly informed us about the finds of these coins in 1959.
27 A. G. Salnikov. Before learning about the trade ties of ancient settlements on the banks of the Dniester estuary from Greece in the VI-II centuries. BC e. MAPP, c. III, Odessa, 1960, p. 31.
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Among the coins of Istria, Olbia, Chersonesos, Panticapaeum, found at the Kamensky settlement, there was also a coin of Thira from the second half of the 4th century. BC e. 28
The growth of the city's agricultural district and the established regular connections with the population of the Middle Dniester region provided the economic basis for the development of broad connections in Tira. Thira continued to trade with Athens. At the end of the 5th and during the 4th century. BC e. red-figure and black-glazed pottery arrives in Tire; and in the 3rd century. BC e. Attic imports are replaced by vessels decorated with paintings applied with liquefied yellow clay and white paint on a dark background, manufactured in the cities of Asia Minor. Thira traded with Thasos, Heraclea, Sinope, Rhodes, Cyzicus, Cnidus, Olbia, Chersonesus and, apparently, with the cities of Bosporus, in which silver coins of Thira were found 29; in addition, single fragments of Bosporan tiles were found in Tire. The quantity of Thassian imports in Tire and the surrounding settlements is not very large; It dates back to the 4th-3rd centuries. BC e. 30 The importation of Heraclean amphorae dates back to the same time.
Chersonese stamps in Tyre date mainly to the 3rd century. BC e. Imports of Sinopian tiles, architectural details and amphorae date mainly from the 4th to 2nd centuries. BC e., and imports from Rhodes, exceeding imports from other centers, date back to the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC e. Many wheel-shaped stamps of unknown origin were also found in Tire.
Coins from Istria, Olbia, Vol. Coins of Tyra IV-III centuries. BC e. found in Chersonesos. Inscription from the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 2nd century. BC e. from Thira indicates that at the end of the stage under consideration, Thira was directly connected with Cyzicus; the narrowing of its economic ties begins, apparently, at the beginning or even in the middle of the 2nd century. BC e.
The dating of the Kosian brands found in Tire is not precisely established; according to E.M. Shtaerman, Thira maintained close ties with Kos in all periods of antiquity 31, however, the number of Kos stamps in Tire is small and, judging by the stamps, the connections of Thira with Kos date mainly back to the time of late Hellenism (II century BC . e.).
The culture of Thira at this time can be judged by urban construction, terracotta products, single sculptures and coins.
Images on coins 32 and individual epigraphic monuments of this time allow us to draw a conclusion about the spread of certain cults. Of the ancient deities, images of Demeter are most often found on the coins of Thera. Often there are also images of Apollo, Dionysus, and Hercules. The existence of the cult of Apollo the physician in Tire is evidenced by an inscription from the 3rd century. BC BC - dedication to Apollo the physician 33. Coins of Thera were also found in the main centers of the cult of Achilles Pontarch 34 (on the island of Lovka and on Tendra). Late Hellenistic coins indicate the spread of the cults of Asclepius and Hermes in the city. The herm of Priapus 35, the patron saint of viticulture and gardening, was also found in Tire.
Excavation data and numismatic materials from the last two centuries BC, preceding the Getae invasion, reflect the gradual increase in the economic crisis of Thira.
In the II century. BC e. reconstructions of buildings that have fallen into disrepair are observed; in this case, the remains of old walls are used, to which new ones are attached. Rebuild
28 B. N. Grakov. Kamensk settlement on the Dnieper. MIA, No. 36, M., 1954, p. 146, table. VIII, 6.
29 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 57.
30 Excavations by A. G. Salnikov at a settlement near the village. Shvdenne-Saria in 1960
31 E. M. Shtaerman. Decree. cit., p. 44.
32 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, p. 44 ff.
33 P. O. Karyshkovsky. Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 116.
34 A. N. Zograf. Finds of coins in places of supposed ancient sanctuaries on the Black Sea coast. CA, VII, 1941, p. 153.
35 R. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte..., p. 382, fig. 7.
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Basements are also being built. The masonry of the walls is careless and consists of poorly processed stones of different sizes. The horizontality of the masonry rows is not maintained in places. Small rubble stone, and sometimes pieces of marble, are also wedged between the large slabs. The deterioration of masonry technique should also be explained by the fact that the masonry itself was not given much importance: the walls of rich houses were covered with painted plaster. Excavations in 1960 uncovered the premises of a rich house. On its floor there is a collapse of the roof, consisting mainly of Sinopian tiles of the 3rd-2nd centuries. and single copies dating back to the 4th century. BC e., under them lay pieces of painted plaster with ornaments: plant and zoomorphic. On some fragments the painting reproduces the pattern of marble with veins; others are covered with dark paint. A similar wall painting was discovered in Olbia in 1960. Similar wall painting is known in Pergamon, Priene, Delos, Alexandria in the 3rd-2nd centuries, in the Bosporus (Pantikapaea, Phanagoria) 36 and corresponds to the so-called second Pompeian style.
In recent years, cellars with amphorae buried in them have been discovered and numerous fragments of amphorae from the late Hellenistic period have been collected. Rhodian ones predominate, Sinopean ones are less numerous; Although Sinopian tiles predominate among the imported tiles, fragments of Kos amphorae are also found. The latter were found together with fragments of light clay and red clay amphoras with double-barreled handles from the centers of the Southern Black Sea region. The composition of the ceramics is dominated by fragments of black-glazed and brown-glazed painted vessels from Asia Minor, “Megaran” bowls and vessels of Olbian production.
In the middle of the 2nd century. BC e. Tira's circle of external relations is narrowing. Nevertheless, the decree of the city of Tomy of the 2nd-1st centuries still dates back to this time. BC e. in honor of the citizen of Thira Nile, testifying to the connections between Olbia and Tom and the intermediary role of Thira in the trade of these cities. In the destroyed buildings of the late Hellenistic period, coins from the cities of Amis and Thira of the Mithridatic period (120-63 BC) are found. The typology of one of the series of coins of Thera of this time, as noted by A. N. Zograf, coincides with the typology of groups of coins of the last Mithridates minted Panticapaeum 37 . This circumstance, together with the mentioned finds in Tire of Amis coins of the same time, may indicate the subordination of Tire to Mithridates VI Eupator. Along with the reduction in trade links, materials from this time reflect the presence of local handicraft production in Tire. Thus, among the fragments of ceramics, one can distinguish locally produced vessels made according to the late Hellenistic type: spherical bowls, two-handled jugs, with the use of polishing in surface treatment. Copper and iron slags and isolated metal objects are found in small quantities.
A figurine made from the horn of a red deer native to the Dniester region, depicting a woman in a local pointed headdress, indicates the presence of local bone carvers in the city.
Particularly noteworthy in the late Hellenistic complexes is the abundance of molded ceramics of Getic forms: Dacian vases, one-handled mugs, bowls with an almost black or grayish-brown burnishing, while early molded ceramics of the late 6th–5th centuries. BC e., close to Scythian forms, very little has been found. The appearance of Getic forms of ceramics, close to those found in the settlements of the Dniester region, dates back to the 4th-3rd centuries. BC e. Similar forms of vessels are known in Olbia, on Kozyrka (Getic circles), on the settlements of the Lower Dnieper in Zolotaya Balka, Gavrilovna and even on the settlements of the Middle Dnieper. The molded ceramics from Thira are closest to the ceramics of the settlements of Podutsavje.
38 ADJ, p. 119, seq., tab. XXXVIII - XLI; V. D. Blavatsky, Phanagorian wall painting. MIA, No. 57, M., 1957, p. 168 ff.
37 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 30.
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If the decline in trade, the reduction in trade relations, the cessation of life in all nearby settlements indicate an economic crisis experienced by the city from the middle or from the second half of the 2nd century. BC e., then destroyed and unrestored buildings, the fill of which is dominated by materials of the 2nd-1st centuries. BC e., indicate particularly difficult times experienced by the city during this period. The crisis of the city was associated with the general crisis of the Hellenistic world. Two decades after the defeat of Mithridates VI Eupator, Tyre, like Olbia, was attacked by the Getae. The destruction of Thira by the Getae around the middle of the 1st century. BC e. The first period of its history ends.
The history of Thira in subsequent centuries is characterized by the political, economic and cultural influence of Rome. Judging by the data of excavations in recent years (1958-1960), the city recovered relatively quickly after the invasion of the Getae. Ceramic material - amphorae from the turn of our era, fragments of vessels of the terra nigra, terra sigillata type with stamps of the first half of the 1st century. n. e. Asia Minor and Gallic workshops, similar to those found in Olbia, suggest a rapid restoration of urban life at the beginning of our era. The restoration of the city begins with the redevelopment of the urban area. The destroyed Hellenistic buildings on the first terrace are being filled up. A thick layer of fill (about 3 m) underlies residential and economic structures of the Roman era. Excavated residential buildings outbuildings, street, drains give an idea of the city's layout, landscaping and house construction.
Rich houses of this time consisted of five or six rooms and one or two courtyards. The average size of buildings is about 120 square meters. m. In plan, they represent a rectangle elongated from north to south, the long walls of which also served as retaining walls of the terraces. Room sizes 15-25 sq. m, courtyards - 11-20 sq. m. The premises did not communicate with each other, and had access to the courtyard, and from there to the street. The courtyards were most often paved with flat stones; occasionally the pavement was corrected with fragments of the walls of amphorae. In the courtyards, stone cisterns with gutters were built to collect rainwater and drains connected to street drains.
The masonry of the walls indicates the decline of masonry and construction. The walls are built on clay from uncut stones of different sizes. The foundations of the walls are made of large stone slabs, selected from destroyed buildings of an earlier time. The floors are earthen, the roofs are gable and tiled. As in buildings of the Hellenistic period, reconstructions and often redevelopments are observed here (a home altar was discovered in one of the rooms of the western building). Found in a clay bedding under a building of the 2nd-3rd centuries. n. e. Hadrian's coins suggest that such a restructuring was carried out in the 20-40s. II century n. e. There is a gradual deterioration in wall masonry techniques.
The street of the 2nd-3rd centuries is well preserved. n. e., paved with large rectangular slabs, along the edges of which small stones and even fragments of ceramics are laid. The length of the preserved part of the street is 27 m, width 2.5 m. Under the street there was a drainage canal, the walls of which consisted of large vertical slabs, its bed was lined with the same slabs.
There are much more epigraphic monuments of Thira in the first centuries AD, in comparison with the previous period (37 inscriptions). Some inscriptions from Olbia and Chersonesos are also of interest for the history of Thira, further illuminating the relationship of these cities with Thira.
The decree in honor of Cocceus (181 AD 38) mentions the usual magistrates and bodies of city government: archons, council and popular assembly. From another
38 IPE, I 2, no.
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document-inscription from the Short (201 AD 39) we learn about the actual restriction by Rome of the rights of city government. Confirming the previous custom of exempting the city community of Tirits from duties, the inscription states that newly admitted citizens will enjoy these privileges only if the rulers of the province confirm their citizenship rights by a special decree. From these inscriptions it is clear that the main positions were occupied by the rich Romanized part of the Greek population and the Romans. The secretary of the council (bule) in 181 was the Roman Valerius Rufus, and the eponymous archon in 201 was the Roman P. Aelius Calpurnius.
The inscription from Korotny, like another poorly preserved inscription from the beginning of the 3rd century. n. e., found in Tire itself 40, is a message from the Roman governor of the province, which talks about trading ships, duties, countermarks on coins; "barbarians" are also mentioned. These inscriptions are important in assessing the importance of trade in the economy of the city in the 2nd-3rd centuries. And. e. In addition, they testify to the attention that Rome paid to the coastal Greek cities, including Tire, which economically and strategically played an important role in the foreign policy of the Roman Empire, in its expansion to the East, which began from the time of Nero. These cities served as strongholds on the borders of the empire in the fight against the barbarian tribes advancing from the East. The inclusion of Thira in the sphere of political influence of Rome is confirmed by coin finds 41.
It should, however, be recognized that the established political relations with Rome were favorable to the restoration of the life of the city at the beginning of our era.
57 AD e., as can be seen from the above inscriptions, is considered the first year of the new chronology of Tyre. After the Crimean expedition of Plautius Silvanus, Thira's dependence on Rome intensified. During the reign of Domitian, regular minting of copper coins was resumed in Tire, in appearance no different from the usual coins of the cities that were part of the Roman Empire. The imperial coinage of Tyre continued with occasional interruptions until the reign of Severus Alexander.
A number of Latin inscriptions from the beginning of the 2nd century. n. e. from Thira and marks on the tiles confirm the presence in the city of Roman garrisons of parts of the I Italian, XI Claudian and V Macedonian legions 42, long before its inclusion in the Roman province of Moesia Inferior. A papyrus dating to the end of Trajan's reign states that two horsemen of cohort I Hispanorum Veterana 43 were sent to Tire as part of the Roman garrison stationed in the city. However, the city is described as being extra provinciam. Thus, Thira formally remained an independent city for a long time and was included in the province only under Antoninus Pius, which is confirmed by both the inscription from Korotnoye and the coins of Thira 44 . It remained part of the province until the end of the reign of Severus, when the Roman garrison was withdrawn from the city.
II century and the first decades of the 3rd century. n. e. characterized by a new short-lived boom in the city's economy. Trade, apparently, occupies a significant place, and not only intermediary between the Western Pontic cities and Olbia, but with the population of the Dniester region. The economic ties of the Western Pontic cities with Olbia and the role of Thira in strengthening these ties are attested to by the Olbian decree of the 2nd - early 3rd century. n. e. in honor of Theocles, son of Satpra 45, and numismatically
39 Ibid., No. 4.
40 P. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte..., p. 394-396; P. O. Karyshkovsky. Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 115.
41 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 31.
42 E. V. Maksimov. New monument of the first centuries AD in Tyre. KSI A AN Ukrainian SSR, 5, 1955, pp. 80-82.
43 G. Cantacuzene. Un papyrus latin relatif â la défense du Bas Danube. "Revue historique du Sud-Est européen", V, no. 1-3, 1928, p. 38 words.
44 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 15.
45 IPE, I 2, no. 40.
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with our finds. Olbian coins from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd centuries are found in Tire. n. e. The importance of Thira as an intermediary trading post and the existence of a land route for the first time in the century AD are confirmed by the famous itinerarium 46 (road), inscribed in paint on a warrior’s leather shield, found in Dura - Europos. It marks the crossing of the Danube, then the road through Thira to Olbia and Chersonesus.
Connections with Chersonese are indicated by a coin of Chersonese from the 3rd century found in Tire. n. e. 47 and a fragment of a marble slab from Chersonesos with the inscription 51 [έν]/Τύρα τα [πόλει]; according to V.V. Latyshev, this is part of a decree drawn up in honor of a person who had some connection with Tire 48. Another fragment of an inscription with similar content was found in Chersonesus after the war 49. Some confirmation of these connections can be found in the building of the 2nd - early 3rd century. n. e. red clay pots, decorated with floral patterns and with Greek inscriptions in white paint πεΐνε εύφραίνou, considered products of Chersonese workshops 50.
The connections of Thera with the Western Pontic cities, in addition to the above-mentioned decree in honor of Theocles, are evidenced by the tombstone of a citizen of Thera, found in Tomi or in ancient Odessa 51, and some features common to the coins of Thera and these cities, for example, signs of value on the coins. Along with goods from Western Pontic cities, coins of the Thracian kings also arrived in Tire. The general picture of the external relations of Tire in the first centuries of our era is complemented by a rare coin found in Tire, according to the definition of P. O. Karyshkovsky, minted by the Thracian king Rimitalko, from the time of Augustus. An inscription from the 2nd century also speaks of the significant role of trade in the city’s economy. n. e., found on the fortress square, i.e. between the fortress and the estuary. It talks about payment for freight of certain goods delivered by barbarians, and about some restrictions for foreigners 52.
At the turn of the century and in the first centuries of our era, Pergamon red-glazed ceramics (cups, dishes) and narrow-necked amphorae continued to arrive in Tire in large quantities, apparently originating from the centers of the southern Black Sea region; many of them are stamped and inscribed in red paint. A lot of such amphorae are also found in Olbia and Tanais, and the same marks are also found. Knidian red-glazed pottery was also imported to Tire. The connection with Egypt is indicated by an Alexandrian coin of imperial times 53, amulets, scarabs and other examples of small Egyptian plastic art. These finds can be compared with the dedicatory inscription found in Tyre to Serapis and Isis 54. Based on the Olbian Decree in honor of Theocles, it can be assumed that Tire in the first centuries of our era was connected with all the cities mentioned in this inscription. Connections with Miletus in the first centuries AD are evidenced by a tombstone found on the Acropolis of Athens with the inscription: “Lafaeia the Tyrian, Hermeus son of Eros, Milesian.” 55
In monetary circulation, along with local copper, Roman silver denarii were in circulation; the earliest of them date back to the 30s of the 1st century. BC e.-
46 F. Cumont. Fragment de bouclier portant une liste d'etapes. "Syria", VI, 1925, p. 11 words
47 E. P. Stern. Excavations in Akkerman in the summer of 1912, pp. 96-97. The coin was incorrectly dated to the 1st century. n. e.; the dating was clarified by V. A. Anokhin.
48 V.V. Latyshev. Greek and Latin inscriptions found in Southern Russia in 1901 IAC, c. 3, 1902, p. 23.
49 G. D. Belov, S. F. Strzheletsky and A. L. Yakobson. Excavations 1941, 1947 and 1948 MIA, No. 34, M.-L., 1953, p. 194. fig. 43; report by E.I. Solomonik at the Academic Council of the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR in January 1960. The text of the inscription was restored by E.I. Solomonik.
50 Report of K.K. Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich on his excavations in Chersonesus. UAC for 1896. St. Petersburg, 1898, p. 187, fig. 567.
51 P. O. Karyshkovsky Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 120, No. 9.
52 IPE, I 2, no. 3.
53 A. N. Zograf. Coins of Tyra, page 60.
54 IPE, I 2, no. 5.
55 P. O. Karyshkovsky. Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 121.
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coinage of Mark Antony for the Roman legions. The three treasures found in Tire included Roman silver coins and copper coins of city minting. A treasure of the same composition was found in 1949 between Ovidiopol and Roksolany 56 . The presence in the hoards of coins minted over two and three centuries indicates that these coins did not go out of circulation for a long time. The number of Roman coins in the treasures is small (for example, in the treasure found in 1958 there were 31 silver denarii and 150 Tira coins).
As in the previous period, in Roman times the leading place in the city’s economy was occupied by arable farming and viticulture. Evidence of this continues to be the images on coins and especially the countermarks on the coins of Domitian and Severus Alexander in the form of an ear of corn and a bunch of grapes. Materials from the study of settlements near the villages of Mologi and Chairy of the 2nd-early 3rd centuries. n. e. indicate the expansion of the city's agricultural district at this time. In the city itself, grain grinders and a large number of large amphorae, more than 1 m high and about 2 m in circumference, with burnt grains of wheat, millet and barley, are found in houses. Fishing was also of considerable importance.
We have little material to characterize the city's handicraft production. One ceramic furnace was found in Tire, and fragments of rejected amphorae were found. Copper and iron slags are found in the layer of this time. Few metal products were found: a small number of bronze brooches of the 2nd-3rd centuries. n. e., single fragments of mirrors of the Sarmatian type; from household items - copper keys, iron locks, clamps, door handles, nails, knives; of the weapons - one iron spear tip. There are also items made of bone: linings from knife handles, styles, needles.
There is every reason to believe that Thira was connected with the settlements of the Dniester region in the first centuries of our era. Not far from Tira, near the village. A number of settlements were discovered in Tudorovo, where a large number of amphorae fragments were found. Researchers classify the settlements as monuments of the Chernyakhov culture. Red-glazed pottery was found in the Vokan Sarmatian burial ground 57. These are small one-handed and two-handed pots, no different from those produced in Tire. Light clay narrow-necked amphorae are also found in the Dniester region. All these products, found in the settlements of the Chernyakhov culture in the first centuries of our era, were undoubtedly brought there directly from Tire.
Coins of Thira from Roman times indicate the veneration of the cults of Hercules and Dionysus - the main patron deities of the imperial house of Severus. The cults of Cybele and Serapis became widespread. Finds of coins of Tira on Berezan, where in the first centuries of our era the sanctuary of Achilles Pontarch was located, indicate the veneration of this deity in the city.
For the study of the culture of Thira of this period, material is provided by objects of art found during excavations, mainly small sculptures, such as the herm of Dionysus, a figurine of Hygiene, part of the torso of Athena (?), a sculptural group - two female figures sitting in the pose of Cybele, a slab with the image of Artemis the huntress . The last two finds have close analogies in the sites of the Western Black Sea region. The crude image of Artemis 58 on a marble slab is reminiscent of reliefs depicting this goddess found at Charax 59 in supposed sanctuaries of the Thracian gods. Considering the composition of the legions stationed in the city, one can
56 P. O. Karyshkovsky. Notes on the numismatics of the ancient Black Sea region. VDI, 1960, No. 3, p. 134.
57 G. B. Fedorov. On the issue of Sarmatian culture in Moldova. “News of the Moldavian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences”, Chisinau, 1956, p. 60.
58 P. Nicorescu. Scavi e Scoperte..., p. 393, fig. 8.
59 M. I. Rostovtsev. Sanctuary of the Thracian gods and inscriptions of the beneficiaries in Ai-Todor. IAC, v. 40, St. Petersburg, 1911, pp. 1-42, table. V, 13.
50
to think that such a sanctuary existed in Tyre. The figurine of a foot warrior, probably depicting one of the representatives of the local tribes, was executed in the manner of late antique art and is distinguished by the incorrect proportions of the human figure, schematization and primitiveness of execution 60.
The list of sculpture monuments would be incomplete without recalling large sizes statue of a Roman legionnaire of the 2nd century. n. e., found in the estuary before the revolution and stored in the Odessa Archaeological Museum.
The sculptures found in Tire testify to three trends in the art of Tire in Roman times: archaic Greek, local art of the Greek cities of the Northern and North-Western Black Sea region and the highly barbarized late antique art of the periphery of the ancient world.
As noted above, from the IV-III centuries. BC e. Various forms of molded pottery of the Getaean appearance appeared on the territory of the city. The quantity of this ceramics increases towards the turn of our era. It seems to us that the spread of this ceramics was associated with a change in the ethnic composition of the city’s population, which occurred in connection with the movements of tribes inhabiting the territory of the Northern and Northwestern Black Sea region. There is very little written evidence of these changes in Tire. Ovid, exiled to Tomi, in his Tristia (V, 7, 10) depicts a picture of city life, perhaps with some exaggeration: “although Greeks and Getae are mixed on this coast, it still borrows more from the non-peaceful Getae. More Sarmatian and Getian people are moving on horseback up and down the streets.” A similar picture could obviously be observed in Tyre, as one of the cities closest to Tom. In Tire, as in Olbia and other cities, wealthy townspeople became related to noble representatives of the tribes living near the city. On the already mentioned tombstone, found in Tomi or in ancient Odessa, the names of the parents who erected the tombstone for their son were preserved. Father's name is Aurelius Heraclides, mother's name is Madagava. The mother's name is non-Greek, B. N. Grakov finds it possible to attribute it to the Sarmatian 61.
An idea of the ethnic composition of the population of Tire in the first centuries AD is given by the decree in honor of Cocceus (181) 62 . It lists the names of four archons and seventeen witnesses. Most of them have Greek names. Romanized Greek names make up more than a quarter of the names mentioned in the inscription. There are some non-Greek names; some of them are Thracian. However, the main, predominant part of the population was still Greeks.
The molded pottery of the first centuries AD differs from the pottery of the previous period. Its forms are close to Sarmatian dishes, and certain types, according to the definition of M. A. Tikhanova, are similar to the vessels found in the Upper Dniester region. The kitchen utensils are all molded. The use of this ceramics, as well as the naturalization of the entire economy at the end of this period, are signs of the Russification of the city, observed in all cities of the Northern Black Sea region. Abundant traces of fires, traced during the excavations, indicate the difficult fate that befell the city. Coins of Severus Alexander with countermarks found in excavated buildings indicate the time of the death of Thira - the 40s of the 3rd century. n. e. Most likely, the city was destroyed by the Goths.
Thus, the ancient cities of the Northern Black Sea region, some earlier, others a little later, shared the common fate of the entire ancient world, which was unable to resist the onslaught of barbarian tribes. However, the economic ties of Tira with the Geto-Thracian world could not but affect the acceleration of the socio-economic development of the latter, and the strengthening of the process of class formation among them.
60 A. I. Furmanskaya. New monuments of sculpture from Thira. KSIA, c. 10, 1960, pp. 78-83.
61 B. N. Grakov. Materials on the history of Scythia in Greek inscriptions of the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor. VDI, 1939, No. 3, p. 312. This inscription was republished by P. O. Karyshkov “k and m - Materials for the collection of ancient inscriptions..., p. 120, No. 9. Discrepancy in the mother’s name: Μοίόαγαΰα-Μαγαόϊυα in There is probably a typo in the latest edition.
62 IPE, I 2, no.
Prepared according to the edition:
Ancient city / USSR Academy of Sciences. Institute of Archeology. - M.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1963.By the way, why Tyr? The modern Arabic name of the city is Sur, but for some reason both in Russia and in the West it is called by the ancient Phoenician name, while in the case of Sidon the modern Arabic name Saida has taken root.
From Saida to Tire – 40 kilometers. A minibus (2 thousand liras) covers this distance in an hour, along the coastal highway with a couple of checkpoints - the second is already at the entrance to the city itself, with a propaganda poster depicting a recognizable guy with a goatee and an inscription (in English), which he translated as “Uncle Sam, don't get carried away!" :)
Tire in ancient times was one of the largest Phoenician city-states; it appeared, apparently, in the 4th millennium BC. Immigrants from Tire founded numerous colonies throughout the Mediterranean, including Carthage and Hades. At various times the city was under the rule of Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, and the Achaemenids, but retained its autonomy. In 332 BC. After a long siege, the city was taken and destroyed by Alexander the Great. Then he was part of the powers of his successors, the Ptolemies and Seleucids. In 64 BC. became part of the Roman Empire and was the capital of the province of Syria Phoenician. In Byzantium, Tire was the center of an archbishopric. In 635, the Arabs conquered it and built a fleet here, with which they captured Cyprus. During the Crusades, Tire became a real symbol of resistance to the crusaders - they captured it only in 1124, after a couple of sieges. And they held it until 1291. In modern Lebanon, Tire has the fate of a “border city.” Now Tire is one of the strongholds of Hezbollah.
This is felt immediately - driving through the streets hung with Hezbollah flags (in the complete absence of Lebanese ones), portraits of Sheikh Nasrallah, his associates, young heroes of the fight against Zionism.
When you get off the minibus at the market, overpowering the noise of the Arab bazaar, your ears are immediately hit by the battle marches of Hezbollah, coming from the speakers at the door of the shop selling the corresponding symbols. So, if you are interested in “Hezbolic” exoticism in Lebanon, then it is not in Baalbek, but in Tire.
Due to the abundance of Hezbollah, the Lebanese army in Tire is not as visible as in Beirut, Tripoli and Saida - only one armored personnel carrier was seen. Much more often on the streets you came across white UN jeeps with blue-helmeted peacekeepers of Latin American appearance - they looked a little hunted :)
What else can you see in Tire? Leftovers ancient city, which are even included in the UNESCO World Heritage List - completely undeservedly, in my opinion. They are presented in a pair of archaeological zones - Al-Bass and Al-Mina (entrance - 6 thousand liras each).
Such are the archaeological excavations with various obscure columns and piles of stones with tablets.
Tire itself is located on a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea - so they are in Tire on three sides at once.
When entering the city, the minibus first stops at the Al-Bass roundabout, where most passengers get off. Nearby is the vast Palestinian camp of Al-Bass. It is not surrounded by any wall - just semi-slum-like city blocks, decorated here and there with Palestinian flags and portraits of Arafat. Behind the camp is the archaeological zone of the same name.
Then the bus drives along a long embankment with heavy traffic - to the Al-Mina ring. This is where the local bass stand is located, combined with a branch. The local juice shop makes the best juices in all of Lebanon - orange in real Syrian large mugs cost 3 thousand liras.
From the ring, walk a little south and you will reach the archaeological zone of Al-Mina.
On the other hand, it looks like ancient quarters with mosques.
At the very end of the peninsula are the former Christian quarters with a lighthouse.
Tire is a Lebanese city founded in the third millennium BC by the Phoenicians. Located near the Israeli border, 20 km. The area is under close surveillance by Israeli troops, but if the situation is calm, then there is no reason for concern or fear before visiting the city.
Initially, Tire consisted of two parts, one of which was an island. Alexander the Great connected the island to the mainland by building roads using stones from the old city.
Tire was founded in 2750 BC, according to Herodotus, and the name Tire does not appear on monuments until 1300 BC. The inscriptions tell of the coast, the sea, the mainland, and the influence of Tire on neighboring lands.
The commerce of the ancient world was centered around Tyre. The merchants of Tire were the first in the Mediterranean to open sea trade routes, and founded colonies in northern Africa, Sicily, Corsica and other places. Tire was attacked by Shalmaneser V, then by Nebuchadnezzar (586-573 BC).
Tire is the mother of the Phoenician peoples. One legend tells about the founding of the city. The appearance of Tire is associated with the Phoenician god Melqart, who was the son of the goddess Astarte. According to legend, it was at the birthplace of Melqart that the ancient Phoenician city was founded. The same legend reports that even before the appearance of the first settlement on the site of Tire, this small piece of land moved freely across Mediterranean Sea. Later, by order of Melkar, they found the place where he was born and sacrificed an eagle; when the blood of a majestic bird fell on the rocks of the island, the island stopped at a distance of about 800 meters from the shore. In the 28th century BC, the residents of the town built a temple in honor of Melqart, in gratitude for which he allowed the townspeople to colonize a fairly large area of the Mediterranean coast. In front of the entrance to the temple there were two columns of pure gold 9 meters high each. People walked around the temple territory barefoot; a ritual of sacrifice took place here every day, which was accompanied by dancing. 
In the 6th century BC, Tyre was destroyed by the army of Nebuchadnezzar, but the conquerors did not achieve their goal, they wanted to get gold and jewelry, and most of the inhabitants managed to collect all their property with them and move to an island near Tyre. A new shooting gallery was built there. The mainland, next to which these two islands were located, was for them protection from storms. In the 9th century BC. The islands were connected by an isthmus to the mainland by order of King Hiram, thereby forming an artificial cape. During the time of Alexander the Great, the isthmus was destroyed, and in its place a pier was built, which was much larger than the isthmus. Makedonsky personally poured the first two buckets of sand into the base of the dam. All work on the construction of the dam was carried out manually. Cedar trunks brought from the mountains of Lebanon were driven into the bottom of the sea, and residents were forced to demolish their houses to fully provide them with building materials. Thus, the island eventually turned into a peninsula. By the way, it is worth noting that Tire is the only city that did not surrender to Alexander the Great without a fight; the inhabitants preferred a bloody war to a humiliating peace and fought for honor as best they could hometown. Some details of the battles and examples of heroic deeds of the inhabitants that have survived to this day are known. When the ships of Alexander the Great anchored, thereby blocking the harbor, the inhabitants of Tire swam to them and cut the anchor ropes. After this incident, by order of Alexander the Great, the ropes on all ships were replaced with anchor chains. The siege lasted seven months, after which Alexander the Great seized power into his own hands. A significant part of the population of Tire was killed, and those who managed to survive were soon sold into slavery. It was during the reign of Alexander the Great that the Lebanese cedar became a rare tree, this was caused by the fact that Alexander, in addition to building a dam, also used cedar in the manufacture of ships; cedar forests were massively cut down. During Phoenician times, Tire was famous for its glass and textiles. The traders of Tire carried out a peaceful expansion of the Mediterranean in order to find sources of raw materials and markets for their products. It was Tire that was the first city where they began to use money - minted coins. The development of the city was influenced by Phenicia. The shooting range developed quite quickly. A number of naval expeditions across the Mediterranean began from Tire, including to Spain and beyond Gibraltar. In the 18th century, the city became one of the most important suppliers of building materials along the entire Mediterranean coast. At different times the city was in power different countries and rulers, experienced many events, in memory of which remain interesting monuments, temples, ruins and more. 
Tire is also an important religious center; it was here that the first Christian communities appeared. The city is also mentioned in the Bible as one of the places where Jesus Christ visited; here he performed his first miracle.
Since 1979, Tire has been protected by UNESCO as a city classified as a world treasure.
Now the old part of Tire is located on the peninsula, and the new one is on the mainland. There are few hotels in the city (about 2-3), but tourists do not have problems with accommodation; there is enough room for everyone. Prices for hotel rooms are quite reasonable.
Tourists are mainly attracted by the ruins of Tire from the Roman Empire. The Roman road leading to the Arc de Triomphe, which in Roman times was the entrance to the city, has been perfectly preserved to this day. On both sides of the road along the entire route there are many sarcophagi carved from stone and marble. And one of the sides of the road is accompanied by an aqueduct.
In the 2nd century. A hippodrome was built on the territory of Tire, the ruins of which are well preserved. Every summer the hippodrome hosts an arts festival. During the Roman Empire, the hippodrome accommodated 20,000 spectators and was 480 meters long.
Tire is a city of inexhaustible power and wealth, founded in the third millennium BC by the Phoenicians. Homer called the city the lord of the seas, purple dye was mined here, and one of the largest hippodromes of the ancient world has survived to this day.
In Tyre, it is also worth seeing the Eshmun Palace, the Colosseum, two ports from the time of King Hiram, and the ruins of a Crusader temple.
Perhaps the most colorful part of Tire is the fishing harbor: a quiet pier, an abundance of fishing boats, workshops where these same boats are made using technology that has remained unchanged for several centuries. You can relax in one of the cafes or restaurants located in the harbor.
Walking from the fishing harbor towards the lighthouse, you will see the al-Mina excavations. Be sure to take a walk here and get to know the city as it was many centuries ago. At the entrance there is a large trade area era of the Roman Empire, passing through the square, on the main street you will see a theater. Water games were once held here. The theater is a rectangular building, the seats are arranged in five tiers, and a system of tanks is placed around the theater. Theater follows sports complex with bathhouses where wrestlers trained. Very interesting place- Cathedral of the Holy Cross, built in the 12th century. Now all that remains of it are the base of granite columns, and previously the cathedral was the place of coronation of the rulers of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. According to some reports, it is here that the remains of Frederick Barbarossa, an outstanding German emperor, are buried. During the existence of Phenicia, on the site of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross there was a temple of the god Melqart, who was considered the patron saint of Tyre.
