Visiting Masada

If you have decided to venture to Israel on one of the many tours there, you will mostly likely visit the fortress called Masada. The story behind this site is one of the most interesting and mysterious in Jewish history. Located at the top of a solitary rock near the Judean Desert, it is nearly 440 feet above the Dead Sea level. Josephus, a Jewish Roman historian of the first century, is who recorded the story of Masada.

Between the years 37 and 31 BC, Herod the Great used Masada as place of refuge in case of a revolt. The first Jewish-Roman War began in 66 AD and a group of radical Jews called the Sicarii overtook a Roman garrison at Masada. Once the second temple was destroyed, members of the Sicarii and their families went to Masada and settled there while taunting the Romans.

According to Josephus, the Scaraii people on Masada were a group people that were extreme Zealots. They were known for their hatred of the Romans and their dislike for other Jewish groups as well. They thrived on rebellion against the Roman rule of Judea and were lead by Elazar ben Ya'ir. There is no way that we can know exactly what happened there, but we do know that there was a synagogue built on the rock that faced towards Jerusalem. This is one of the oldest synagogues in Israel.

After allowing the rebels to remain on Masada for many years, the governor of Rome finally headed towards the area in 72 AD. They built a wall around the rock in order to attack and not permit the Jews to escape. They then began work on a ramp in order to reach the Masada defenses. The Romans finished the rampart and were able to break through the fortress by the spring of 73 AD. Upon entering the fortress, however, the Romans found storehouses full of food. However, the 960 inhabitants of Masada had committed mass suicide.

Josephus does not give us any account about the Sicarii people attacking back. However, there were two women who hid inside a cistern along with their five children to avoid having to be put to death. The women told the story to the Romans when they arrived and then later related it all to Josephus.

According to the women, Eleazar knew that they were about to be captured by the Romans. Judaism strongly discouraged suicide, so they decided to kill the women and children first and then draw lots to kill each other. The last man would be the only one who would actually take his own life. Their motive was to choose death over slavery. According to the women, they purposefully left the storehouses full of food to prove that they could have lived if they had chosen. However, they would rather die than be held captive by the Romans.

Masada was discovered again in 1842 and was excavated between 1963 and 1965 by Yigael Yadin, an Israeli archeologist. For those who are in good physical condition, the true "Masada Experience" includes a hike up the Snake Path along the Dead Sea Highway up the western side of the mountain. For those needing an easier trip to the top of the rock, there is a cable car that runs up the side of the mountain.

For the last two millennia, the area has not been disrupted by civilization and still remains quite remote. The ramp built by the Romans still stands and can be climbed on foot. Many of the buildings are still there, some having been rebuilt and restored. The Sicarii people built water cisterns two-thirds of the way up the drain by the side of the cliff, which explains how they were able to have enough water while they lived on the rock.

The expedition uncovered only the remains of 28 people in Masada and then the remains of 25 other people were also found in a cave near the base of the cliff. No one knows why there are not more remains of bodies or what may have happened to them. Carbon dating does indicate that these remains date back to the time period of the Roman revolt.

While visiting Israel, you must take an afternoon to visit the Dead Sea and then travel to the Masada site. At the tourist center nearby, there is a full movie about the story of Masada. At the center, you will also find a model of the site of Masada and an exhibit of the findings there.

You will find Masada to be both thrilling and exciting. The culture and courage of the people involved in this area is evident from this mysterious story. A trip to Israel can only be made more interesting by a visit to the interesting fortress of Masada.

Related Articles

• Be All Set With The Best Quality Travel Accessories
• Peru Travel Tips: Machu Picchu
• How to Do Vegas on a Budget (And Still Party Like a Rockstar)
• Information Regarding Local Bus Lines
• 7 Must-Know Things to Take Into Account Prior to Taking a Grand Canyon Airplane Excursion

HTML Ready Article. Click on the "Copy" button to copy into your clipboard.

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN' 'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'><html><head><title>Articles Back Link | Visiting Masada</title></head><body><h3>Visiting Masada</h3><br><br> By: Tomer Harel<br><br><p><p>If you have decided to venture to Israel on one of the many tours there, you will mostly likely visit the fortress called Masada. The story behind this site is one of the most interesting and mysterious in Jewish history. Located at the top of a solitary rock near the Judean Desert, it is nearly 440 feet above the Dead Sea level. Josephus, a Jewish Roman historian of the first century, is who recorded the story of Masada.</P><p> Between the years 37 and 31 BC, Herod the Great used Masada as place of refuge in case of a revolt. The first Jewish-Roman War began in 66 AD and a group of radical Jews called the Sicarii overtook a Roman garrison at Masada. Once the second temple was destroyed, members of the Sicarii and their families went to Masada and settled there while taunting the Romans.</P><p> According to Josephus, the Scaraii people on Masada were a group people that were extreme Zealots. They were known for their hatred of the Romans and their dislike for other Jewish groups as well. They thrived on rebellion against the Roman rule of Judea and were lead by Elazar ben Ya'ir. There is no way that we can know exactly what happened there, but we do know that there was a synagogue built on the rock that faced towards Jerusalem. This is one of the oldest synagogues in Israel.</P><p> After allowing the rebels to remain on Masada for many years, the governor of Rome finally headed towards the area in 72 AD. They built a wall around the rock in order to attack and not permit the Jews to escape. They then began work on a ramp in order to reach the Masada defenses. The Romans finished the rampart and were able to break through the fortress by the spring of 73 AD. Upon entering the fortress, however, the Romans found storehouses full of food. However, the 960 inhabitants of Masada had committed mass suicide. </P><p> Josephus does not give us any account about the Sicarii people attacking back. However, there were two women who hid inside a cistern along with their five children to avoid having to be put to death. The women told the story to the Romans when they arrived and then later related it all to Josephus. </P><p> According to the women, Eleazar knew that they were about to be captured by the Romans. Judaism strongly discouraged suicide, so they decided to kill the women and children first and then draw lots to kill each other. The last man would be the only one who would actually take his own life. Their motive was to choose death over slavery. According to the women, they purposefully left the storehouses full of food to prove that they could have lived if they had chosen. However, they would rather die than be held captive by the Romans.</P><p> Masada was discovered again in 1842 and was excavated between 1963 and 1965 by Yigael Yadin, an Israeli archeologist. For those who are in good physical condition, the true "Masada Experience" includes a hike up the Snake Path along the Dead Sea Highway up the western side of the mountain. For those needing an easier trip to the top of the rock, there is a cable car that runs up the side of the mountain. </P><p> For the last two millennia, the area has not been disrupted by civilization and still remains quite remote. The ramp built by the Romans still stands and can be climbed on foot. Many of the buildings are still there, some having been rebuilt and restored. The Sicarii people built water cisterns two-thirds of the way up the drain by the side of the cliff, which explains how they were able to have enough water while they lived on the rock.</P><p> The expedition uncovered only the remains of 28 people in Masada and then the remains of 25 other people were also found in a cave near the base of the cliff. No one knows why there are not more remains of bodies or what may have happened to them. Carbon dating does indicate that these remains date back to the time period of the Roman revolt.</P><p> While visiting Israel, you must take an afternoon to visit the Dead Sea and then travel to the Masada site. At the tourist center nearby, there is a full movie about the story of Masada. At the center, you will also find a model of the site of Masada and an exhibit of the findings there.</P><p> You will find Masada to be both thrilling and exciting. The culture and courage of the people involved in this area is evident from this mysterious story. A trip to Israel can only be made more interesting by a visit to the interesting fortress of Masada.<br></P></p> <br><br> <b>Author Resource:-></b>  <br><br><b>Article From</b> <a href='http://www.articlesbacklink.com/'>Articles Back Link</a><br></body></html>