They pointed a stake at one end, and, having fixed the other end firmly into the ground, placed their criminal with the pit of his stomach upon the point, and made it enter his body just below the breastbone.

This method of empaling must have destroyed life tolerably soon, and have thus been a far less cruel punishment than the crucifixion of the Romans.

We do not observe it very often in the Assyrian sculptures, nor do we ever see it applied to more than a few individuals.

It was probably reserved for those who were considered the worst criminals.

Another very common mode of executing captives was by beating in their skulls with a mace.