Seleucus decided to lay siege on the citadel, but eager to avoid casualties, he decided to cut the water supply to the city and began to build a dam on the river Euphrates, which passed between the citadel walls, until it created an artificial lake on the hill, but as the citadel continue to resist his attempts, he ordered the dam to be suddenly broken and in the ensuing downstream flood the walls of the citadel were destroyed and the garrison surrendered after token resistance.