Sheshonq

Well, Ezekiel was playing the odds. The other small city-states in the Mideast had fallen to Babylon fairly quickly - sometimes it was through a surrender; other times Babylon just steamrolled the resisting military and plundered the remains. Given that track record, it was a pretty safe bet that Nebuchadnezzar would do the same thing to Tyre that he had done to the other city-states.

The problem was not a lack of a navy, but a lack of a sufficient navy. sugarhitman doesn't seem to understand two things:

1. Conducting war is expensive. Not just financially, but politically - failure would send a signal that Babylon was weak. Militarily - with the army tied down in a protracted engagement, it was unavailable for other duties: defending the borders, quelling uprisings, etc. No empire would have marched its military to Tyre, intent on conquering an island city, without having a plan on how to do so.

2. it doesn't require that Nebuchadnezzar have a navy anyhow. It would only require that naval forces be present, or some alternative be used.

3. The geology of this harbor wouldn't permit a navy to operate between the land mass and the island (east side of the island).The water is less than 2 meters deep there. There is a concept called "draft", which is how far a ship sinks into the water when fully laden. In six feet of water, any warship is going to run aground on the sand and be unable to operate. However, that very shallow depth also means that it would be feasible to float (or even drive) catapults and siege towers across the water to attack the island. So sugarhitman's complaint about not having a navy is groundless, because it wouldn't have been necessary.

There's about a million things here that sugarhitman and arnoldo are overlooking.

arnoldo

Here is what Zekey:4 states about the siege of Jerusalem.

That's about 13 months if they used the same calendar we do.

JayW

Now that's real intelligent comment. It's apparantly your approach to every post.

That quote has to do with the northern tribe of Israel, not Judah. It has nothing to do with Tyre,which was never defeated by Nebuchadnezzer. Alexander the great was never mentioned as having used ships against Tyre. He built a causeway to the island which is still there and has turned into a peninsula.

arnoldo

Yes I know. One criticism is that Tyre could not withstand a siege of 13 years. I was trying to determine if other cities similar to Tyre had been attacked by Nebby's armies. Aparently Jerusalem was attacked by Nebby and was able to resist between 13-18 months according to the sources mentioned so far. If mainlaind Tyre was located over a spring then perhaps it could last a siege of 13 years. I have no idea if the Island Tyre had access to fresh water in order to survive a siege of 13 years.

In reference to Alexander the Great IIRC he started to build a mole, was attacked, and then summonded ships from the nations he conquered (the many nations) to help protect the workers who were building the mole.

Sheshonq

No, but it's my approach to people who try to post nonsense and get away with it.

If you're interested in showing us that you really want a conversation, then there's a post waiting on your response already. Use both sides of the paper if necessary.

JayW

Jerusalem withstood one attack for three years. Even the seige by the Romans lasted long enough for people to strave.An island city could certainly have withstood an attack from the mainlnd for 13 years.

I'll take it into consideration.

Minimalist

That is correct, Arnoldo. The link I posted earlier gives Arrian's account (drawing on the works of Greek generals who were there) of the fall of the town and includes extensive naval action in the narrative.

spin

You've made this non sequitur several times now. The frequent repetition of an error doesn't change its status. It merely shows you don't learn from your mistakes.




spin

sugarhitman

Wow great arguement!

arnoldo

Comedy Gold! I'm sure that the jewish rulers and the ruler from Tyre sent into exile in Babylon also thought the Zekey was a liar, NOT.