Alexander the Great knows the wheelbarrow

When I read a book about Alexanders conquest, the author pointed one thing out regarding the siege of Tyre: The Macedonians didn´t knew the wheelbarrow. They would have been very useful for siege operations, yet it was unknown to the Macedonians. For erecting ramps during sieges the soldiers had to carry baskets instead of just push a wheelbarrow. How different would have been his possibilities ? In China , Zhuge Liang is credited for inventing the wheelbarrow.
 
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When I read a book about Alexanders conquest, the author pointed one thing out regarding the siege of Tyre: The Macedonians didn´t knew the wheelbarrow. They would have been very useful for siege operations, yet it was unknown to the Macedonians. For erecting ramps during sieges the soldiers had to carry baskets instead of just push a wheelbarrow. How different would have been his possibilities ? In China , Zhuge Liang is credited for inventing the wheelbarrow.

sorry not quite sure I follow the point here,
could you expand slightly more on how in your view a wheelbarrow would have significantly affected the OTL?
(also how different is it to carrying baskets or carting stuff really?? is it an advantage?)

I can't imagine the manoeuvrability would last on any siege mound, possibly useful for filling the causeway at tyre as that was a fairly flat affair, I don't know if it would do much more or have any real effect,
I'm grasping at straws a bit not really understanding the ATL you're proposing,I love this period in time but a little more to go on would greatly help people responding.
 
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sorry not quite sure I follow the point here,
could you expand slightly more on how in your view a wheelbarrow would have significantly affected the OTL?
(also how different is it to carrying baskets or carting stuff really?? is it an advantage?)

I can't imagine the manoeuvrability would last on any siege mound, possibly useful for filling the causeway at tyre as that was a fairly flat affair, I don't know if it would do much more or have any real effect,
I'm grasping at straws a bit not really understanding the ATL you're proposing,I love this period in time but a little more to go on would greatly help people responding.

I think he means what if the wheelbarrow had either been invented by the Macedonians or somewhat earlier in Ancient Greece. Too early butterflies Alexander completely of course.

In terms of the OP, while there might have been Some use in warfare far more use would be gained in things like farming and construction.
 

Yuelang

Banned
Oh? And what about the Siege of Hallicarnasos? And several other cities in Asia Minor?

The Siege of Tyre is an obvious exception, try to push wheelbarrows across what could be said as a narrow yet reasonably shallow sea (so ships can't get there outside the west facing harbor, who's already heavily defended by Tyrian navy), and because Tyre is located in a freaking Island Fortress, thus Alex's men must make the ramps wading in water without the aid of carts or wheelbarrows.

Seriously, we think of guys who build Helepoleis siege engine here, and you complained about they doesn't use wheelbarrows when they must basically wade and dam the strait of Tyre?

ADD: Ancient Greeks did known about Wheelbarrows since 400 BC, they named it Monokyklos (one wheeled version), Dikyklos (two wheeled), and such.
 
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