Were assassins (original, arabic) stealthy as most of people belive they were?

by grandoz039
GrandStaircase

no. the assassin was more like an ancient suicide bomber than our modern conception of a super stealthy killer. For instance the 1092 assassination of Nizam al-Mulk uses deception to get close to the vizir but the actual deed is done bluntly with the expectation the murderer would be unable to escape.

These assassinations were public acts of terror. There could involve subterfuge of admirable length but unlike modern conceptions of these assassins there wouldn't be a doubt who did the deed and the killers were unlikely to escape with their lives. Paradoxically its these "flaws' which made them so deadly. its much harder to protect against individuals who are willing to trade their life for yours.