Tel Lachish

Tel Lachish was the 2nd most important city during the 1st Holy Temple period. It was at the southern end of the Judean Kingdom, with the purpose of protecting the Kingdom from the Philistines and the Egyptians in the south.

It was first identified during excavations in 1926 by an American archaeologist by the name of William Albright. Findings in this site date back to more than 4,000 years ago. This city was also mentioned in the Amarna Letters. The city remained in place till 701 BCE when Sennacherib, the leader of the Assyrian Empire, conquered and destroyed the Kingdom of Israel and then moved on to conquer the Kingdom of Judea and the city of Lachish.

In later excavations, in the layer from the time of King Sennacherib, 400 seals belonging to the King were found. One of the most important findings was the method in which the Assyrians were successful in conquering the city – by building a siege ramp (like that in Masada). The details around this are now on display in the British Museum: depictions of Assyrian siege ramps, battering rams, sappers, and other siege machines and army units, along with Lachish's architecture and its final surrender. In combination with the archaeological finds, they give a good understanding of siege warfare of the period.

I’d like to thank the Watchman for this informative video.