formerly a celebrated city of Asia, on the coast of Syria, situated under the 54th degree of east longitude, and 32d of north latitude. It was built, ac- cording to some writers, 2760 years before the Chris- tian era. There were two cities of that name; the one called Palestynus, situated on the continent; and the other the city of Tyre, built on an island about half a mile from the shore. It was about 19 miles in circum- ference, including Palestynus; the town on the island was about four miles round. The buildings of Tyre were very magnificent; the walls were 150 feet high, and broad in proportion. This city was at one period the most famous commercial city in the world. Of its commercial transactions, the most particular account that is to be found in any ancient writer has been given by the prophet Ezekiel, which at the same time con- veys a magnificent idea of the extensive power of that state. It resisted Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon for 13 years; at the end of which, wearied with fruitless efforts, the inhabitants resolved to place the sea be- tween them and their enemy, and passed accordingly in- to the island. The new city stood out against Alexan- der the Great for seven months; and before he could take it, he was obliged to fill up the strait which sepa- rated the island from the continent. It was repaired af- terwards by Adrian, and became the metropolis of the province. It afterwards fell into the hands of the A- rabs; and after being taken by Baldwin II. king of Je- rusalem, it was destroyed by the sultan of Egypt in 1289, and abandoned. An excellent account of its modern state may be found in Volney's Travels, vol. ii. It now consists of a small village, composed of fisher- men's huts, and containing about 50 or 60 poor families.