Where and was execution by crucifiction first recorded?

Question

I have heard the Romans were not the first people to use this form of execution.

Answer 1

I believe it was used by the Persians, and adopted by Alexander the Great while he was in the East. The Carthaginians also crucified people, especially generals who lost battles (gave them quite an incentive to win).In fact,t he Romans may have adopted crucixion from the Carthaginians.

I have, however, heard it argued, that in some of these early cases these may have been just the impaling or hanging of people, but that the Romans translated this wrongly as crucifixion. Some sources may refer to people hanging from trees, and since early Roman crucifixion used trees, the Roman translators took this to mean hanging by nails, instead of by noose. Additionally, it was very common practice throughout most civilizations to string a criminal up by a tree or pole so as to beat them or torture them. Crucifixion is just  a more specialized for of this, and probably evolved slowly into the form of execution made famous by the Romans and the execution of Jesus. So it is hard to say when the first crucifixion proper happened.

Answer 2

Evidence leads to ancient Persia in the 7th century BC.  See below.

Answer 3

The Romans GENERALLY didn't use persecution for executions - only for certain crimes, for people who weren't Roman citizens, and if they needed to make an example. (Eg., Some of the conspirators in the Catiline Conspiracy were executed in secret; Tacitus notes some political opponents in Tiberius's reign were beheaded, and a pretender to the throne of the empire was privately executed.  But, after the Spartacus revolt, rows of crosses lined the Appian Way.)