Lachish
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Archaeology — physical evidence · 2
Life, role & deeds
BibleA fortified city of Judah, second only to Jerusalem, besieged by Sennacherib of Assyria and later by Babylon.
2 Kings 18:13–14; Jeremiah 34:7
Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologySennacherib carved the siege of Lachish across a wall of his palace, and the Assyrian siege-ramp, the arrowheads and the destruction are all found at the site.
Lachish Reliefs from Sennacherib's South-West Palace at Nineveh (excavated by A. H. Layard), now British Museum, London; Assyrian siege-ramp, arrowheads and the Level III destruction at Tel Lachish (Tell ed-Duweir) excavated by David Ussishkin, Tel Aviv University, 1973–1994 — D. Ussishkin, The Conquest of Lachish by Sennacherib (Tel Aviv, 1982)
ArchaeologyThe Assyrian siege of Lachish in 701 BC is doubly attested: Sennacherib carved it in relief across a room of his Nineveh palace, and David Ussishkin's excavations found the very siege-ramp, arrowheads and the burned Level III city those reliefs depict.
D. Ussishkin, 'The Conquest of Lachish by Sennacherib' (Tel Aviv University, 1982); Lachish Reliefs, British Museum.
