After the death of Mausolus in 353 B.C. his sister, Artemisia II came to throne only for three years. She continued the construction of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world called the Tomb of King Mausolus. After an earthquake it was damaged whose ruins were used by the Knights of St John to built some parts of their castle.

   Artemisia's second achievement was the conquest of Rhodes. Artemisia received the news of the fleet which was sent to her and she hid her forces in a secret harbor close to the main harbor. After the Rhodians landed on Artemisia's men sail the ships of the Rhodians back out the sea. The soldiers of the Rhodians were surrounded in the marketplace whereas the soldiers of Artemisia were sailing to Rhodes in the Rhodian ships. Right after they arrived in Rhodes they captured the city as the Rhodians in their island who saw the ships thought that their men were returning with the victory.

   It was 334 B.C. when Alexander the Great reached Halicarnassus. The Queen Orontabatis, the Satrap of Caria was ready to defend her city. Although her soldiers resisted against the forces of Alexander, he was able to penetrate the city walls and burn the city as a punishment. After the conquest of Alexander the city lost its fame and popularity. It became a free city after the conquest of Rome in 190 B.C. until when Rome added Caria in its reorganization of Asia in 129 B.C.