Atop a massive rock overlooking the Dead Sea stands the fortress of Masada. It was built by Herod the Great, the client king whose rule over the land of Judea and cooperation with the Roman authorities caused considerable resentment among his Jewish subjects. To ensure security from his rivals, Herod built a series of fortresses, of which Masada is the largest and most impressive.
Spread over 23 acres, Masada's most striking feature is a palatial villa build on three descending terraces on the northern end of the rock. Additional palaces, administrative quarters, and living spaces occupy the rest of the complex. When it was occupied, cisterns, aqueducts, and pools supplied an abundance of water.
Herod died in 4 BCE, and Masada was occupied fitfully until smoldering resentment against Roman rule erupted in the First Jewish Revolt. After a four year struggle, Roman troops sacked Jerusalem in the year 70 CE. But sometime before the destruction of the city, a band of rebels, approximately 550 men, women, and children escaped and fled across the wilderness to Masada. Their only means of ascent was the "Snake Path," a perilous climb on the east side of the rock, which is clearly visible today. Under the leadership of Eleazal ben Judah, the refugees made the complex their home, waiting and hoping that the Roman legions would eventually leave the region. The royal palace built by the king who had allied himself with the Romans became a place of refuge for the rebels who fought against their rule.
They were well supplied. In 1964, an archaeological team led by Yigel Yadin found foodstuffs in abundance: flour, oil, wine, dates, and olives. There were also textiles, ceramics, baskets, hordes of Jewish coins and weapons. The Jewish historian Josephus reports "there were arms for 10,000 men."
The rebels held out for three years, but in 73 CE, Roman legions led by the general Flavius Silva marched upon the fortress. They built a series of encampments and proceeded to construct an enormous ramp that reached to the outer walls of the fortress. The heat was fierce, water scarce. The rebels attacked the Romans with huge rocks and engaged in a psychological warfare, taunting them and dousing them with fresh water, which the rebels had in abundance and the Romans lacked.
After months of work, the time came for the final attack. The legions breached the walls, expecting to engage the rebels in hand to hand combat. But they found instead a perfect silence. The rebels had committed suicide, rather than surrender to the enemy.
But what really happened? The only written account of this event comes to us from Josephus, who was not present when the Romans finally breached the walls. He purportedly spoke with two women and a few children who managed to escape the massacre. Some contemporary historians question his account, and argue the rebels did stand and fight. They lost. The Romans threw their bodies into the sea.
Perhaps we shall never know the real story. But Masada stills stands, its massive form dominating the landscape of history, the legend of the rebels immortalized in the famous cry "Never again Masada!"
