Trustworthy History - Continue

 "I built a pillar over against his city gate, and I flayed all the chief men who had revolted, and I covered the pillar with their skins; some I walled up within the pillar, some I impaled upon the pillar on stakes, . . . and I cut off the limbs of the officers, of the royal officers who had rebelled. . . Many captives from among them I burned with fire, and many I took as living captives."  When archaeologists excavated Assyrian royal palaces, they found the walls decorated with depictions of horrendous treatment meted out to captives. 

In the year 740 B.C.E., Assyria conquered Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and took its people into exile. Eight years later, Assyria invaded Judah. (2 Kings 18:13) The Syrian King Sennacherib demanded of Judean King Hezekiah a tribute of 30 talents of silver. The Bible record states that this tribute was paid. Even so, Sennacherib insisted that the capital of Judah, Jerusalem, also surrender unconditionally to him. - 2 KINGS 18:9-17, 28. 

Next time: Trustworthy History - Conclusion

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