In the 4th century BC, the famous Persian Satrap Mausolos moved the Caria Region’s capital from Mylasa to Halikarnassos. He built city walls, a theater, agora, Apollo’s temple, and his palace on the island in his new capital.

Satrap Maosolos, who also built the Mylasa and Myndos gates as the two main entrance gates of the Ancient Halicarnassos, forced the peoples of the 6 Lelegian cities in the region to move to Halicarnassos to increase the population of his new capital.

Mausolos also started constructing his tomb, the Mausoleum, during his lifetime. after his death; He left one of the most beautiful cities of antiquity to his people

334 BC, Alexander the Great captured the most significant cities in western Anatolia after crossing the Dardanelles and defeating the Persian armies in Granicus. After taking over Sardes, Ephesus, and Miletus, He eventually reached Halikarnassos

Taking along the Carian queen, exiled to Alinda by his brother Piksadoros, Alexander the Great laid siege to Halicarnassus, surrounded by magnificent city walls and defended by Great Persian and Greek forces.
The Persian Army and Greek mercenaries defend the city under the Memnon of Rhodes and Persian Satrap Orontobates.

Alexander the Great, who quickly captured most of the cities in the Aegean region, encountered great difficulties in Halikarnassos, which was supported by a powerful Persian navy in the harbor. Meanwhile, Alexander also attacked the city of Myndos but could not take it. After his great disappointment, he intensified his attacks on Halikarnassos.
Alexander, who also brought his siege tools such as siege towers, ram heads, and catapults from Miletus, was determined to take this well-defended city as soon as possible.

The bloody war continued between Macedonian soldiers and the Persians, who occasionally went out of the city walls, attacked the Macedonian army, and tried to burn siege engines. Alexander, who used siege towers, ram heads, and catapults, encountered surprisingly strong defense from the Persians and the Greek Mercenaries. Continuous attacks by the Macedonians and the wall repairs and counterattacks of the Persians continued for weeks.
Ancient writers tell us the Persians’ drama, who once came out of the Myndos gate but had to retreat with the counterattack of experienced Macedonian warriors and all massacred after the collapse of wooden bridges over the moat and the closure of city gates.
Both armies did not show any success during this struggle, lasting months.
During the autumn attacks, the Macedonians managed to enter the city. Realizing it is now over, Memnon of Rhodes assembles his generals and leaves the city. The Persians retreat only by leaving troops in the castles on either side of the harbor.

The falling city is exposed to a big fire intensified by the strong wind and looting of invading forces. The Persians left Halicarnassus by boarding their ships in the harbor. In the city, where war and fire heavily destroyed the town, the Mausoleum is not damaged.

The details of the Siege of Halicarnassus are mentioned by the ancient writers Diodorus and Arrian. Excavations at the Myndos gate, part of the city’s famous fortification walls, led to the discovery of human skeletons and remaining weapons. Surprisingly, the archeologist also discovered the trenches, preventing siege engines from approaching the city walls.

Twenty-two monumental tombs belonging to noble Roman citizens south of the MİNDOS gate are dated to the Late Roman Period, fourth and 5th centuries AD. Many of these tombs are built independently or in a row and have mosaics with animal and geometric motifs.
These monumental tombs generally consist of an entrance decorated with mosaics and one or two rooms covered with a vaulted roof. The burial was made in the small rooms on the ground floor of these funerary monuments, but the first floor was for funerary rites.
The mosaics in the graves excavated by the English Archaeologist Charles Newton in the 19th century are now covered for protection.