Masada
by Tim Bench, Abilene, TX.
Masada…73 AD
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For both Christianity as well as Judaism, the Siege
of Masada has become one of the most prominent
and long-lasting stories of the first century.
The Roman Empire would tighten its grip
mercilessly on multiple provinces, attempting to
quash uprisings, which would lead ultimately to
the infamous battle atop Masada.
Even now, nearly 2000 years after the events,
Masada is Israel’s most prominent tourist
attraction, and in many ways, a symbol of
resistance v. tyranny (especially in Israel). Others
hold that the Masada martyrs were not heroic, at
all.
What is Masada?
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Masada is a mountain mesa of the eastern edge of
the Judean desert, 11 miles south of Engedi and
about 30 miles south of Jerusalem.
The area is extremely arid and lacks a permanent
water supply. However, Masada in the first century
contained more stored water than the Temple
Mount in Jerusalem.1 Builders of the fortress had
installed an effective water-collection system by
constructing dams in the rugged wadis (valleys) to
route rains into channels, which drained into
cisterns.
The summit of Masada is virtually flat, 710 yards
by 328 yards, providing sufficient area to sustain a
community.
1- “Masada-location profile” at www.ancientsandals.com.
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The fortress was constructed atop the mesa
between 37 to 31 BC by none other than Herod the
Great, as a place of refuge in case of revolt.1
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A Roman garrison was stationed at Masada until
66 AD. That year, the First Jewish War against the
Roman Empire began, and Jewish rebels known as
Sicarii seized Masada from Roman control. As per
Flavius Josephus (and many modern-day
theologians), the Sicarii are typically considered to
be an extremist branch (or even “terrorists”) of the
first-century “Zealots”2 (as in Simon the Zealot).
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1- “Suicide in Masada” at www.saecularis.com.
2- “The Masada Myth” by Nachman Ben-Yehuta.
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Refugees fleeing Roman rule and
oppression would arrive at Masada and join
the group. Many of these refuges would
likely have been Essenes, from nearby
Qumran, of DSS fame. In 68 AD, as Roman
forces blanketed the area, the Essenes, a
separatist group that many believe John the
Baptist was part of, hid these scrolls to
prevent them from falling into Roman
hands. Essene remnants have been
unearthed at Masada.1
1- Excavations of the synagogue at Masada uncovered a Genizah (where worn-out documents are
stored) with a fragment of the Book of Ezekiel (chapter 37). Pottery shreds found at the site matched
clay in the kilns at Qumran. These finds imply that some members of the sect fled to Masada after
Qumran’s destruction in AD 68; From “The Dead Sea Scrolls” by Rose Publishing.
What is the significance of these
“Essenes”?
The Essenes were a group near
Qumran who fled society, had no
money, did not marry, ate and clothed
themselves as simply as possible,
shared all belongings communally, and
were the more radical sect of the
“Hasadim” (God’s loyal ones).1
 It is important to note that Masada was
apparently not just a refuge for Jews,
but other groups also trying to flee the
Roman onslaught.2
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(continued)
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1- See Pliny the Younger’s “Natural History” and “The Jewish War” by
Josephus (75AD) and “Antiquities of the Jews” (94 AD) and Philo of
Alexandria’s 'Quod omnis probus Fiber sit' and 'Apologia pro Judais.‘
2- “During the years of the Revolt, Masada became a refuge for more
Zealots who fled with their families, as well as for other desperate
elements such as the Essenes”, from “Masada: The Dead Sea
Stronghold” by Craig von Buseck, www.CBN.com.
The official Masada National Park
publications also state that “The Great
Revolt” “apparently included Essenes and
Samaritans” and the Encyclopedia Judaica
“Masada” entry (by Guy Steigel) stipulates
“including Sicarii, Essenes, and
Samaritans.”
John the Baptist…an Essene?
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“The Dead Sea Scrolls have fueled
speculation that Jesus and, with more
plausibility, John the Baptist had contact
with the Essenes or a group like them at
Qumran”, from “Church History: Volume 1” by Everett
Ferguson, page 31.
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Dr. Ferguson has also stated that the Essenes
were known for adopting orphans of priestly
lineages; John the Baptist, whose parents were
already elderly at his birth, would certainly fit
this bill (Zacharias was a priest at the Temple in
Jerusalem, “of the course of Abia”, while
Elisabeth was one of “the daughters of Aaron”)
see Luke 1:5-13.
John the Baptist/Essenes
“John the Baptist seems to have
belonged to the Essenes, but in
appealing to sinners to be regenerated
by baptism, he inaugurated a new
movement, which led to the rise of
Christianity…”
 see at www.jewishencyclopedia.com.
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Typical viewpoint that only Jews
were atop Masada
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“The truth of the matter is this: the tragedy at
Masada was but a further fulfillment of those
biblical prophecies that foretold the punishment
that was to be inflicted upon the Jewish nation as a
result of its rebellion against Jehovah God.
Rather than submit to the slavery of Rome, the
Zealots chose to die by their own knives. In this
terminal act of defiance, these Jews have been
viewed by many as heroes…But they were not
heroes. The were victims of their own rebellious
unbelief! And God, by means of his providential
agents, the Romans (cf. Matthew 22:7), brought his
wrath upon them.”
“Masada-The Final And Futile Stand” by Wayne Jackson at
www.christiancourier.com.
Masada and the Bible
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Masada is not mentioned by name in the Bible.
However, some suggest that the mesa may have
been David’s place of refuge during his flight from
Saul, and possibly where he wrote at least some of
the Book of Psalm.
Specifically, Masada may have been the
“stronghold” David references in 1 Samuel 22:4-5,
23:14, and 24:22.1
1- “The word translated "fortress" is metzuriah or masada.
From 1Sa 23:29, I have no doubt that he is speaking of
Masada, an isolated peak 1,500 feet high, on which was a
stronghold.”—James Wareing Bardsley, in "Glimpses
through the Veil," 1883.
The revolt begins….
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In 66 AD, Zealots began an open and violent
rebellion v. Roman rule. The sect had
originally been organized by Judas of Galilee
(see Acts 5:37). Open warfare erupted across
Palestine in 66.1
Gallus, the Roman general, marched into
Palestine with 40,000 soldiers to crush the
rebellion. He would reach Jerusalem in
September, and his forces were repelled;
retreating to Caesarea, Gallus would lose
some 6,000 soldiers.
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1- “Masada-The final and futile stand” at www.christiancourier.com.
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The revolt
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When the news of this loss reached Nero, Flavious
Vespasian was ordered to end the rebellion once
and for all (Nero famously had blamed the new
sect known as “Christians” for the Great Fire of
Rome in 64 AD so eliminating Zealot, Sicarii,
Essene, and/or Christian might have been VERY
appealing).
Nero would die in 68 AD, and Vespasian would
assign Titus, his own son, to lay siege to
Jerusalem, one of the most horrifying and tragic
events in human history, and very likely referenced
by Jesus himself in Matthew 25 (“Olivet
Discourse”)
The horrors of Jerusalem for the Jews
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“As Roman soldiers poured into city, soldiers entered into
and defiled the Temple, replacing Jewish ornaments with
Roman and pagan symbols (see Josephus, Wars, VI, p.583).
Whole families were seized, pillaged and murdered without
mercy. 1.1 million people suffered horrific deaths while
97,000 were taken into Roman captivity.
Tomb-robbing during the siege was rampant, with some
600,000 carcasses thrown out of the gates of the city by the
Romans.
Josephus even reported that one mother inside the city was
so ravaged by hunger, she roasted her own infant son.
“….nothing in history matches the violence, savageness,
famine, pestilence, and despair present in the Siege of
Jerusalem.”-from www.gospelthemes.com.
“The Fall of Jerusalem 70 AD: Cannibal Lady Feeds
on Baby's Flesh”, By John Thomas Didymus
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“Meanwhile the war escalated and survivors soon began
heaving masses of dead bodies over the city walls into the
valley below. So terrible was the sight of the trenches filled
with bloated, oozing bodies that even the Roman
commander Titus cried out at the sight calling out to God
to witness that it was not his doing.
Those who tried to escape from the beleaguered city were
taken by the Roman soldiers, whipped and tortured and
then crucified alive before the walls of the city. Crucifixion
beams sprang up one after the other into a forest of
thousands of crucified bodies. Attacking Roman soldiers
came upon of a group of about 6 000 women and children
who had sought refuge in a part of the outer temple ground.
They simply set the cloister on fire and burned the 6 000
souls to death.”
The siege begins…
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In 72 AD, some 15,000 Roman troops surround the
mesa, 960 trapped on the top of the mountain.
The Roman legion began construction of a
massive siege ramp against the western face of the
plateau, moving thousands of tons of stones and
earth to build the ramp.
The ramp was completed in the spring of 73 AD,
after probably two to three months of siege. A
tower with a battering ram was constructed and
moved laboriously up the completed ramp, while
the Romans assaulted the wall relentlessly with
blazing torches and boulders.
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The Romans finally breached the wall of the
fortress on April 16, 73. When the Romans legion
entered the fortress, however, they found it to be
"a citadel of death.” 1
The rebels had set all the buildings but the food
storerooms ablaze and had committed mass
suicide, "a glorious death ... preferable to a life of
infamy.” 2
Judaism would not permit personal suicide, so
straws were drawn; 10 men would be tasked to kill
the others, and 1 of the 10 would be responsible for
killing the other 9, leaving one man to take his own
life.
1- Richmond, I. A. (1962). "The Roman Siege-Works of Masada, Israel“
fromThe Journal of Roman Studies, pages 142–155.
2- http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1040
The suicides…
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Try to imagine yourself in this situation……for years, the
Roman forces have savaged community and community,
slaughtering, raping, killing, burning, and massacring
every one and everything in their path with impunity. The
inhabitants of Masada were certainly aware of the horrors
of Qumran and even more so, Jerusalem.
Being taken captive (an unlikely fate) would result in a
miserable life of captivity and slavery, and imagine how you
personally would feel, surrounded by your children,
grandchildren, spouse, and friends, huddled atop a mesa,
and hearing the screams of the Romans as they finally
approached the fortress.
What would be your choice?
Masada today
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The site of Masada was identified in 1842 and
extensively excavated between 1963 and 1965.
Visitors to the site may hike up the Snake Path on
the eastern side of the mountain (accessed via the
Dead Sea Highway). A cable car also operates at
the site.
Due to the remoteness from any form of human
habitation and the arid environment, the site has
remained largely untouched by humans or nature
during the past 2000 years.
Masada today
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The Roman ramp still stands on the western
side of Masada and can be climbed on foot.
Many of the ancient buildings have been
restored from their remains, as have the
wall-paintings of Herod's two main palaces
the bathhouses that he built. The
synagogue, storehouses, and houses of the
Jewish rebels have also been identified and
largely restored.
Masada today
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The meter-high wall that the Romans built
around Masada can be seen, together with
eleven barracks for the Roman soldiers just
outside this wall. The water cisterns
discussed earlier are approximately twothirds of the way up the cliff and drain the
nearby wadis by an elaborate system of
channels, enabling the rebels to have
sufficient water supplies for such a long
siege.
Masada today
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Inside the synagogue, an ostracon bearing the
inscription me'aser cohen (tithe for the priest) was
found, as were fragments of two scrolls; parts of
Deuteronomy 33Ð34 and parts of Ezekiel 35Ð38
(including the vision of the "dry bones"), found
hidden in pits dug under the floor of a small room
built inside the synagogue. In other locations,
fragments were found of the books of Genesis,
Leviticus, Psalms, and Sirach, as well as of the
Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice.
Masada today
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In front of the northern palace, eleven small
ostraca were recovered, each bearing a
single name.
One reads "ben Yair“, short for Eleazar ben
Ya'ir, the commander of the fortress. It has
been suggested that the other ten names are
possibly those of the men chosen by lot to
kill the others and then themselves, as
recounted by Josephus.
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Archaeologist Yigael Yadin's excavations
uncovered the skeletal remains of 28 people at
Masada. The remains of a male 20-22 years of age,
a female 17-18 and a child approximately 12 years
old were found in the palace. The remains of two
men and a full head of hair with braids belonging
to a woman were also discovered in the bath
house.
Forensic analysis showed the hair had been cut
from the woman's head with a sharp instrument
while she was still alive (a Jewish practice for
captured women) while the braids indicated that
she was married. The remains may have been
Romans whom the rebels captured when they
seized the garrison.
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The remains of 25 people were found in a cave at
the base of the cliffs. Carbon dating of textiles
found with the remains in the cave indicate they
are contemporaneous with the period of the Revolt
and it is believed that as they were buried with pig
bones (a Roman practice); this indicates that the
remains may belong to Romans who garrisoned
Masada after its recapture.
Others still argue that the remains are those of the
Jewish Zealots who committed suicide during the
siege of Masada, and all were reburied at Masada
with full Israeli military honors on July 7, 1969.
The remnants of a Byzantine church dating from
the 5th and 6th centuries have also been excavated
on the top of Masada.
Masada today
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Masada was declared a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 2001. An audiovisual light show is presented
nightly on the western side of the mountain
(access by car from the Arad road or by foot, down
the mountain via the Roman ramp path).
In 2007, a new museum opened at the site in which
archeological findings are displayed. A 2,000-yearold seed discovered during archaeological
excavations in the early 1960s was successfully
germinated, remaining the oldest known
germination until 2012.
Elazar ben Yair’s final speech
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"Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to
the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself,
Who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind,
the time is now come that obliges us to make that
resolution true in practice ...We were the very first
that revolted, and we are the last to fight against
them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that
God has granted us, that it is still in our power to
die bravely, and in a state of freedom.“
www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
The horrors of Masada
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“It was not sudden madness, nor a
momentary frenzy, which seized these men,
when they brought forth, to immolate them
on the altar of their liberty, their wives, their
children, their chattels, and ranged
themselves each by the side of all that had
been dear to them in the world.
The last glimmer of hope had died out, and
with the destination of despair the last
defenders of Judea prepared to perish in the
flames which enveloped its last fortress.
(continued)
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First, each heaped together his household
gear, associated with the pleasures of other
days, and set fire to it.
Again, they pressed to their hearts their
wives and children. Bitter were the tears
wrung from these iron men; yet the sacrifice
was made unshrinkingly, and each plunged
his sword into the hearts of his wife and
children. The they laid themselves down
beside them, and locked them in tender
embrace-now the embrace of death.
(continued)
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Cheerfully they presented their breasts to ten
of their number, chosen by lot to put the rest
of their brethren to death. Of these ten, one
had again been fixed upon to slay the
remaining nine.
Having finished his bloody work, he looked
around to see whether any of the band yet
required his service.
But all was silent. The last survivor then
approached as closely as possible to his own
family, and fell upon his sword.
Nine hundred bodies covered the ground.”
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“History of the Jewish nation”, Alfred Edersheim, page 41.
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www.goisrael.com
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“The fortress of Massada was built in the year 30 BCE by
King Herod, whose architectural feats have left their mark
throughout the country. At the beginning of the great
revolt against Rome in the year 68 BCE, the site was
conquered by a group of Jewish zealots, and Massada
became their last stronghold. In the year 72 the Romans
besieged Massada and succeeded in reaching the steep
fortress after constructing a huge earthen ramp on its
western side.
In the year 73, the 960 Jewish zealots living at the top of
Massada chose to commit suicide rather than to fall into
the hands of the Romans alive. Their deeds left behind a
saga of courage, heroism, and martyrdom.”
The Israeli military at Masada
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The Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense
Forces (IDF), Moshe Dayan, has institured
the ceremony of holding the swearing-in
ceremony of soldiers who have completed
their Tironut (IDF basic training) on top of
Masada.
The ceremony ends with the declaration:
"Masada shall not fall again." The soldiers
climb the Snake Path at night and are sworn
in with torches lighting the background.
Masada’s relevance to modern
Judaism
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“In the face of international anti-Israel and anti-Semitic forces and
events such as the Holocaust, many Israelis have been inspired by the
Zealots’ determination to resist domination at all costs, although many
other Israelis associate their mass suicide with fanaticism…
Soldiers who are being sworn-in climb to the top of Masada on the
winding Snake Path for a torch-lit ceremony that is held at night.
Moshe Dayan, the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF),
was so stirred by the resolve of the Zealots that he established the
tradition of holding at Masada the swearing-in ceremony for soldiers
who have completed Israel Defense Forces basic training.
That ceremony ends with the affirmation “Masada shall not
fall again.”
www.biblicalgleanings.com
www.masada2000.org
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“When the Zealot leader, Elazar ben Yair, saw the end
nearing, he gathered his people and together they chose
death with honor by their own hands rather than being
captured alive and becoming slaves to the Romans.
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Today, Masada has become a symbol for freedom and
independence. Recruits to the Israel Defense Forces
Armored Unit swear the oath of allegiance in an annual
ceremony on its summit. Their defiant cry...Masada will
never fall again!”