The best source of crucifixion information comes from the four Gospels. But another valuable source of information on the practice of crucifixion is ancient Greek and Roman literature. The Greeks and Romans did not write much about crucifixion, but they wrote about it often enough to provide important information about this method of execution. The Romans did not invent crucifixion as a method of execution, although many believe they perfected it. The Persians were the first to use crucifixion. Ancient writings tell that King Darius had 3000 Babylonians crucified around 519 BC. Two centuries later, Alexander the Great also used crucifixion when he conquered several countries. Curtius Rufus said in The History of Alexander that Alexander had 2,000 citizens of the city of Tire crucified after conquering it. Execution by crucifixion became common under the reign of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). The Romans conquered the Greeks and that's where they probably learned about crucifixion. Crucifixion was also used by many barbarian peoples, such as the Indians, Assyrians, Scythians and Celts. Later it was also used by the Germans and the English. The Roman form of crucifixion was not used in the Old Testament by the Jewish people. In fact, it is against Jewish laws that require a person hanging from a tree to be buried on the same day. The Romans, however, had no respect for such laws when it came to matters of state. Jewish victims of crucifixion were hanged as long as anyone else. Shame was as much a part of the problem as death. The Jews considered crucifixion to be one of the most horrible and cursed forms of death (Deuteronomy 21:23). The only exception I found reported was that of the historian Flavius ​​Josephus when the Jewish high priest...... middle of paper......Archaeological Review 11 (January-February 1985), 44-53.Weber, Hans-Ruedi. The Cross: tradition and interpretation. Translated by Elke Jesset. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979. Edwards, William D., Gabel, Wesley J., and Hosmer, Floyd E. “On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ.” The Journal of the American Medical Association 256 (March 21, 1986).http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/tp/crucifixionforms.htm “Different Forms of Crucifixions; Four basic structures or types of crosses were used for crucifixions,” Mary Fairchild http://www.orlutheran.com/html/crucify.html “Crucifixion in the Ancient World”; Dr. Richard P. Bucher Hengel, Martin. Crucifixion: In the Ancient World and the Madness of the Message of the Cross. Translated by John Bowden. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977.