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The Siege of Halicarnassus was fought between
Alexander the Great and the Achaemenid Persian Empire in 334. Alexander, who
had no navy, was constantly being threatened by the Persian navy. It
continuously attempted to provoke an engagement with Alexander, who would not
oblige them. Eventually, the Persian fleet sailed to Halicarnassus, in order to
establish a new defense. Ada of Caria, the former
queen of Halicarnassus, had been driven from her throne by her younger brother
Pixodarus of Caria. When Pixodarus died, Persian King Darius had appointed
Orontobates satrap of
Caria, which included Halicarnassus in its jurisdiction. On the arrival of
Alexander in 334 BC, Ada, who was in possession of the fortress of Alinda,
surrendered the fortress to him. Orontobates and
Memnon of Rhodes
entrenched themselves in Halicarnassus. Alexander had sent spies to meet with
dissidents inside the city, who had promised to open the gates and allow
Alexander to enter. When his spies arrived, however, the dissidents were
nowhere to be found. A small battle resulted, and Alexander's army managed to
break through the city walls. Memnon, however, now deployed his catapults, and
Alexander's army fell back. Memnon then deployed his infantry, and shortly
before Alexander would have received his first defeat, his infantry managed to
break through the city walls, surprising the Persian forces. Memnon, realizing
the city was lost, set fire to it and withdrew with his army. Strong winds
caused the fire to destroy much of the city. Alexander committed the government
of Caria to Ada; and she, in turn, formally adopted Alexander as her son,
ensuring that the rule of Caria passed unconditionally to him upon her eventual
death. During her husband's tenure as satrap, Ada had been loved by the people
of Caria. By putting Ada, who felt very favorably towards Alexander, on the
throne, he ensured that the government of Caria, as well as its people,
remained loyal to him.
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