Masada

About Masada

Masada is an ancient fortification perched atop an isolated rock plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. This UNESCO World Heritage site is famous for its dramatic story of resistance and the well-preserved ruins of King Herod's palace complex. Standing 400 meters above the Dead Sea, Masada offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Judean Desert and serves as a powerful symbol of Jewish determination and heroism.

Historical Context

Masada's history is dramatic and layered, beginning around 30 BCE when King Herod the Great built a magnificent palace complex on the plateau as a refuge against potential uprisings. Following the Roman siege of Jerusalem and destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, a group of Jewish rebels known as the Sicarii fled to Masada and occupied it. According to the firsthand account of historian Flavius Josephus, when the Romans finally breached the walls in 73 CE after a lengthy siege, they discovered that the 960 inhabitants had chosen mass suicide rather than surrender to Roman enslavement. Archaeologists have uncovered extensive ruins from both the Herodian period and the rebel occupation, including palaces, storehouses, bathhouses, and a synagogue. After the Jewish revolt, Masada was occupied by Byzantine monks who built a church in the 5th-6th centuries CE. The site was abandoned and forgotten until rediscovered in 1842. In modern times, Masada has become a powerful symbol of Jewish resistance and national identity. Israeli soldiers once took their oath at the site with the declaration "Masada shall not fall again." Today, it is one of Israel's most popular tourist destinations and archaeological sites, symbolizing the determination to survive against overwhelming odds.