When fierce warrior Alexander the Great, accompanied by his Macedonian troops, met ferocious resistance at the island city of Tyre, he turned to technology to give him an edge. Learn how Alexander was able to overcome adversity and best his foes. The most devastating weapon of its time, the catapult could lay waste to entire cities with ease. Re-enactments and expert interviews attest to the strength of this revolutionary machine

n 332 B.C., the fortified island city of Tyre seemed an invincible target for Alexander the Great and his Macedonian naval fleet.

Despite rousing his comrades to unmatched valor, the planned siege on Tyre was in danger of quickly becoming a rare defeat for the young conqueror. But, Alexander was not about to let anyone or anything keep him from his ultimate goal of becoming conqueror of the known world. In an inspired move, the Greek warrior decided that if he could not get close enough to the city walls to launch a plausible attack, he would instead build a causeway out of debris and make expert use of a devastating tool of warfare technology, the catapult.

In this fascinating program, The History Channel examines how Alexander put the catapult to overwhelming and victorious effect against Tyre and investigates the significance of this destructive weapon in the history of medieval warfare.