3 – Suffocation by Ashes
In Ancient Persia, suffocating someone with ashes was regarded as one of the worst punishments. As such, it was reserved for those who had committed the foulest deeds. If you were found guilty of offenses against the Gods or high treason, a small mountain of ashes was your tomb.
The Persians even had a special 75-foot hollow tower built for the specific purpose of carrying out this horrific punishment; it contained nothing but ashes and wheels. The victim was thrown into the ashes, and the wheels constantly turned while the person was still alive to ensure the ashes whirled around. Eventually, the individual died from suffocation as he continually inhaled the ash.
There was nothing quick about the punishment either. As the accused was thrown from such a height, it was normal for them to break a few bones upon landing. As they writhed around in agony, the executioners turned the wheels to ensure the convict couldn’t escape inhaling the ashes.
There are numerous accounts of the punishment being used in ancient times. A man named Sogdianus was supposedly the first to die in this manner in 423 BC. He was found guilty of murdering his half-brother, Xerxes II. Another one of Sogdianus’ half-brothers, Ochus, who later became Darius II, carried out the sentence after promising Sogdianus that he wouldn’t die by the sword. Later on, Darius II killed his brother Arsites in the same manner, this time as punishment for rebellion.
In 162 BC, a Jewish High Priest at Jerusalem, Menelaus, died in this gruesome way. He was sentenced by Lysias, a regent of Antiochus V, on charges of rebellion. According to a story in the Bible, Menelaus’ family was not allowed to bury his remains. The story concluded by saying the punishment was exactly was he deserved.