Assassin

Assassins were widely used to perform "targeted killings" of public figures for the purpose of the advancement of religious, ideological, political, or military reasons, dating back throughout recorded history. Assassins are typically motivated by financial gain, revenge, or the idea of achieving personal public recognition or notoriety.

One of the earliest recorded uses of an assassin was the murder of Gedaliah in 586 BC as described by Jeremiah, the Hebrew prophet.http://www.ou.org/chagim/tzomgedaliah/Default.htm Other famous victims of assassins in early written history are Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great's father,http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/PhilipofMacedon.html and Julius Caesar.http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar2.htm Falling prey to assassins was a common death for many of the early Emperors of Rome, as well as Shia Imams and political figures in ancient China and India. Blinding and strangling in the bathtub were the most common practices of early assassins in these ancient societies.

Assassination for personal and political reasons became common in Western Europe during the Renaissance. The French kings Henry IIIhttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Henry_III_(France).aspx and Henry IV,http://us.franceguide.com/2010-400th-anniversary-of-the-assassination-of-Henry-IV-King-of-France-and-Navarre.html?NodeID=1&EditoID=216409 and William the Silent of the Netherlandshttp://www.timelineindex.com/content/view/830 fell victim to assassination.

Techniques

Early assassinations primarily were conducted by stabbing, strangling or bludgeoning. As societies became more sophisticated, infiltration into a group with the targeted victim became necessary and more sophisticated weaponry was required. Stabbing, smothering and strangulation remained common forms, but poison was also used. Many important leaders began to use body guards, as well as food tasters to prevent assassination by poison. Another common type of assassin in Ancient Rome was a group of paid assassins that formed a mob. In these cases, political enemies were typically beaten to death by the paid mob.

With the development of firearms, gunpowder and other explosives, these became common tools of the profession as well.