In 1968, the historical veracity for the crucifixion of Jesus took another leap forward. A mass gravesite in Israel was uncovered that contained 35 male bodies, each of which died a brutal death around the rime of the Jewish revolt against Rome in 70 AD. An inscription identified one of the men as Yohan Ben Ha’galgol. Studies of his bones performed by specialists from the Hadassah Medical School determined this man was in his late 20’s and stood 5’6”.
Dramatically, these studies also showed that the man had been crucified in a manner resembling the crucifixion of Jesus. A large spike had been hammered inside the Achilles tendon. Spikes were also driven through his lower forearms, just below the wrists. The bone studies also revealed that the man’s legs were crushed below the knees. In John 19:31-33, we read that Roman executions expedited the death of crucifixion victims by breaking their legs- this caused them to suffocate quickly because they could no longer push up with their legs to inflate their lungs.