Around the time of Jesus lived Herod the Great. He was king of the area in and around Jerusalem and was a prolific builder. Always paranoid, he constructed an defensive outpost in case of revolt on the Dead Sea called Masada around 37-31 B.C. The fortress is on top of this plateau and is very difficult to get to the top. Brian walked up and down.
View from the top of Masada looking out to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth at less than 1280 feet below sea level, so at the top of Masada you may still be below sea level.
Although King Herod never used Masada, it was the sight of a great siege. In 66 A.D. the Romans decided to put down a Jewish revolt. A group of Jews known as the Zealots made their way to Masada and decided to make their last stand there. King Herod had make a technological marvel at the top of the plateau with an ingenious cistern system to collect rainwater, food storage facilities, and even a swimming pool. Well, the Jews decided to hole up at Masada and defend their position from the Romans. Lucius Flavius Silva led his Roman legion X Fretensis and was determined to not let these Jews live. In this picture you can see one of the many remains of the camps the Romans set up to lay siege to Masada.
The Romans decided to build a large ramp up the western side of Masada in order to breach the walls at the top of the plateau. After 2-3 months, and possibly using Jewish slaves to build it, the ramp reached the top of the plateau and the Romans breached the walls on April 16, 73 A.D. There the Romans found that all 936 of the Jewish defenders had set fire to all but the food store rooms and had killed themselves. Legend has it that the Jews drew lots and killed each other so only the last man would have to commit suicide. They did not burn the food store rooms to show the Romans that they had no shortage of food. Today, member of the Israeli military must climb Masada and make the claim that "Masada will not fall again!"
No comments:
Post a Comment