Is spite of knowing about the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel in about 722 BC, Hezekiah decided that the kingdom of Judah would no longer serve the Assyrians. He stopped paying the tribute he had agreed to earlier.
Predictably, Hezekiah’s rebellion prompted a forceful response by Sennacherib and the Assyrian army, who launched a campaign around 701 BC to conquer and subdue Judah. He first attacked and destroyed Judah’s perimeter defenses — the fortified cities like Lachish — before besieging the capital city of Jerusalem.
The conquest of Lachish was a strategic victory, and one in which the Assyrians apparently took great pride, since after the campaign Sennacherib had elaborate stone wall panels created to recount the battle in a massive graphic display. He commissioned exquisitely detailed reliefs that covered the walls of a large room 39 feet (12 m) by 16.7 feet (5.1 m), and then installed them in what modern archaeologists call room 36 of his Southwest palace at Nineveh.
The panels, which specifically mention Lachish, were also compared to the excavated site of Lachish, an analysis of which demonstrates a clear match between the walls on the panels and the walls at the ruined city. An inscription on one of the panels reads, “Sennacherib, the mighty king, king of the country of Assyria, sitting on the throne of judgment, at the entrance of] the city of Lakhisha. I give permission for its slaughter.” Other panels show:
- the Assyrian army and their siege engines;
- the solders of Judah attempting to defend the walled city of Lachish;
- the fall of the city;
- the torture and execution of men of Judah;
- the deportation of men, women, and children; and
- the enthroned Sennacherib honored in victory.
The relief panels are some of the great pieces of historical art from the ancient world. They not only recount the story, they clearly show the design of the walls and towers of Lachish, they depict the armor and weaponry of the Assyrian soldiers, and demonstrate their siege tactics. Also proudly on display is the extreme violence of the Assyrian soldiers.
Archaeological excavations of Lachish have revealed the remains of the siege ramp that the Assyrians used to infiltrate the city, along with hundreds of Assyrian arrowheads. They also discovered the bones of approximately 1,500 people – men, women, and children – including hundreds of skulls in mass burial in caves near the site.
Sennacherib commissioned the Lachish Reliefs to commemorate this successful siege, and on one panel had himself portrayed on his throne as his victorious commander stood before him, while Judeans bowed down.
Interesting Historical Side Note
Many have noted that these relief panels had to be made to commemorate the siege of Lachish, not the capital city of Jerusalem, since the Assyrian attack on Jerusalem was unsuccessful.
Summary
The campaign, including the conquest of Lachish, was recorded in official Assyrian records, and they corroborate the accounts written in the books of Kings, Chronicles, and Isaiah… although from the Assyrian perspective.
