The current war between Israel and Gaza is hardly the first that the old city has known in its thousands of years of history. One of the most notable wars in the annals of Gaza was the siege of it by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. We turned to ChatGPT and Perplexity to learn about the battle and what happened to the General of the Gaza Army at the end.
Alexander, who sought to establish a vast empire, set his sights on the territories that had until then been under Persian control. Gaza, a fortified stronghold strategically placed on the route to Egypt, became a major obstacle to his path. The city, with its high walls and determined shields, seemed impenetrable. The commander of the Gaza army, Bettis, proved to be a symbol of resilience in the face of the mighty occupier. Historical accounts paint a picture of an experienced and courageous leader, aware of the significance of his role in stopping Alexander's ongoing campaign of conquest.
When Alexander's forces encircled Gaza, a prolonged and exhausting siege ensued. The local army, commanded by Bettis, displayed extraordinary tenacity, and withstood the onslaught of Alexander's mighty army. Gaza's towering walls seemed to defy the very laws of occupation. The turning point in this historical drama came nine weeks later, when Alexander's army succeeded in building mounds of earth outside the walls so that their battering rams could climb the height of the mound on which the city was built and knock down the walls, and tunnels (yes, that's a local tradition apparently) to shake their foundations.
After the walls were breached, the Macedonian army rushed in, slaughtered the men, and sold the women and children into slavery. Bettis was captured alive and brought before Alexander, who demanded his surrender – but he remained silent and refused to comply. Alexander was furious, and ordered him to be punished with one of the cruelest tortures imaginable: his heels were pierced, and ropes sent through them were tied to a chariot that dragged him all over the city until he died—a torture inspired by Greek mythology about Achilles and Hector.
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