SENNACHERIB’S CAMPAIGN IN JUDAH: THE CONQUEST OF LACHISH

Abstract

The conquest of Lachish in 701 B.C.E. by the army of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, forms a significant event in the history of the Near East, the history of the kingdom of Judah, and the history of the biblical world. Five different sources, which complement one another, combine to present us with a clear and vivid picture of the events at Lachish: (1) the detailed descriptions in the Old Testament of the Assyrian campaign in Judah; (2) the annals and other inscriptions of Sennacherib; (3) the city level attacked by the Assyrians which was studied in the excavations; (4) the remains of the battle uncovered in the excavations; and (5) the series of reliefs describing the siege of Lachish erected by Sennacherib in his royal palace at Nineveh. This is in fact a unique case in which a major battle of the biblical period can be studied and reconstructed to a significant degree. Much information was obtained in the intensive archaeological excavations which have taken place at Lachish since 1932. Groups of scholars and students from UNISA took part in the excavations of Tel Aviv University each season between 1976 and 1989. They were organised and led by Prof. Ian Eybers until his untimely death in 1981 (Fig. 1). Many of the South African participants were directly involved in uncovering significant remains associated with Sennacheib’s attack on Lachish.