Masada
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Masada is a mountain-top fortress complex in the Judaean Desert, overlooking the western shore of the Dead Sea in southeastern Israel. The fort, built in the first century BC, was constructed atop a n
An aerial view of Masada, from the north
A caldarium (hot room) in northern Roman-style public bath (#35 on plan)
Funeral to the human remains unearthed at Masada, 1969. Menachem Begin and Yisrael Yeshayahu second and third in front from right.
Model of the northern palace
Siege of Masada
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The hilltop fortress of Masada, in present-day Israel, was successfully besieged and taken by Roman imperial forces between 72 and 73 AD, during the final period of the First Jewish–Roman War. At the
Masada
…as the Sicarii, a radical faction led by Eleazar ben Ya'ir, defended the site against the Roman Tenth Legion under Lucius Flavius Silva. The Romans laid siege by building a circumvallation wall and a massive ramp. According to Josephus, when the walls were breached in 73/74 AD, the Romans found nearly 1,000…
Remnants of Camp F, one of several legionary camps just outside the circumvallation wall around Masada
The Roman siege ramp seen from above. This was partly rebuilt for a 1981 TV miniseries, Masada.
Francesco Hayez 018