Entire books have been written on the history of Tyre. As one of the principal centers of Phoenician culture, it has a vast history that goes back thousands of years.
For the purpose of this site, though, we can focus on its siege by Alexander. The presence of the city was a major blocker for Alexander, and he was bitterly insulted when Azemilkos refused to capitulate. The entire siege involved a grueling nine months, when Alexander built a causeway that still stands to the island fortress and proceeded to assault it.
The various kings of Cyprus lent their ships and it was eventually from the sea that Alexander was successful. Thereafter, he killed eight thousand citizens of Tyre and sold another thirty thousand into slavery. Azemilkos, however, was pardoned.
In 323 BCE, after Alexander’s death, Tyre was given to Laomedon. However, he didn’t keep it for long as Ptolemy soon conquered it. It was taken back by Antigonos I Monophthalmos in 315 BCE, where it remained until Ptolemy grabbed it back in 287 BCE.