Masada is a fortress of the desperate. Masada - how the impregnable fortress of King Herod fell

Masada (fortress)

The plateau on which Massada is located

Fortress walls

Massada cable car

On the top of one of the rocks of the Judean Desert, rising 450 meters above the Dead Sea, in 25 BC. e. King Herod I the Great, a descendant of the Edomites who converted to Judaism, built a refuge for himself and his family, significantly strengthening and completing the Hasmonean period fortress that existed on this site, built in 37-31 BC. The fortress kept a lot of food and weapons supplies, a skillful water supply system and baths were built, modeled on the Roman ones. The fortress was also used to store royal gold.

Massada is surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs. Only from the sea side does a narrow, so-called snake path. The top of the rock is crowned by an almost flat trapezoidal plateau, the dimensions of which are approximately 600 by 300 meters. The plateau is surrounded by powerful fortress walls with a total length of 1400 meters and a thickness of about 4 meters, in which 37 towers are built. On the plateau, palaces, a synagogue, armories, pits for collecting and storing rainwater and other auxiliary buildings were built.

The fortress now preserves the palace of King Herod, a synagogue, fragments of mosaics, water reservoirs carved into the rocks, cold and hot baths and much more.

One of the most striking finds is a synagogue. It was believed that the Jews had no need for synagogues as long as they had the Temple. The Massada was reconstructed during the existence of the Second Temple, but a synagogue was nevertheless created in it. In addition, a synagogue was also found in the ruins of the Gamla fortress. This proved that among the ancient Jews the existence of synagogues did not depend on the existence of the Temple.

In 66 AD e. Massada was taken by the rebel Zealots, and the Roman garrison was slaughtered. In 67 AD, the Sicarii, representatives of a radical party that led a rebellion against the Romans that resulted in the long Jewish War, settled in Massada. In 70 AD, after the capture of Jerusalem by the Roman legions, Massada proved to be the last stronghold of the rebels. The defenders of the fortress numbered barely a thousand people, including women and children, but they held Massada for another three years.

About nine thousand slaves built roads and carried earth to build a siege rampart around the fortress and platforms for throwing machines and battering rams. When the Romans managed to set fire to the additional internal defensive wall built by the Sicarii, consisting of wooden beams, the fate of Massada was sealed.

Unwilling to surrender to the Romans, the Sicarii decided to commit suicide. Lots were cast, ten executors of the last will were chosen, who stabbed all the defenders of the fortress, women and children, and then one of them, chosen by lot, killed the rest and committed suicide. The story of the massacre in the fortress was told by a woman who hid in a water tank and therefore survived.

For some time, the history of the defense of Massada was considered a legend, but a comparison of Jewish and Roman historical chronicles, including Josephus's book "The Jewish War", and archaeological finds on the territory of the fortress, including stone tablets with names used as lots for ten executors of the last will, convince of the opposite.

There is also a version that when the Romans broke through the fortress wall, the defenders of the fortress set fire to all the buildings. However, human remains and/or graves have never been found on the territory of the fortress (it is worth recalling that we are talking about about a thousand people, which is quite a lot for such a relatively small area), so not a single version has yet found sufficiently strong confirmation.

The ruins of the fortress were first discovered in 1862. Thorough excavations were carried out in 1963-1965. Since 1971, a funicular has been operating on Massada, connecting the foot of the rock with its top. You can also walk up to the gates of the fortress along the “snake path” winding along the eastern side of the rock.

Notes

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See what “Masada (fortress)” is in other dictionaries:

Masada: Masada is an ancient fortress in Israel. Masada TV film by Boris Sagal. Masada is a village in Israel. Masada jazz group. See also Mossad Israeli intelligence... Wikipedia

Arab. قلعة نمرود‎‎ heb. Wikipedia

Masada- (Masada), fortress to the west. shore of the Dead Sea (elevation: 395 m). In 37 31 BC. Herod the Great strengthened the fortifications, which were probably founded in the 2nd century. BC, built two palaces, baths and aqueducts. In 66 AD. M. was recaptured from Rome... The World History

This term has other meanings, see Masada (meanings). Masada* Masada** UNESCO World Heritage Site... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Belvoir. For an English castle, see Belvoir Castle Panorama of Belvoir Fortress of the Cre... Wikipedia

Masada- a fortress at the southern tip of the Dead Sea on a mountain top, built by Herod I in 37-31. BC. and became the last stronghold of the Zealots during the anti-Roman uprising in 66-73. AD The defenders of Masada, in order not to surrender, killed their wives and children... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of World History

- (ancient Hebrew Metsada) an ancient Jewish fortress near the southern shore of the Dead Sea. Founded at the end of the 2nd century BC. e. Under Herod I (73-4 BC), a palace complex and additional fortifications were built. In the Jewish War 66 73 (See... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Nimrod Arab fortress. قلعة نمرود‎‎ heb. Wikipedia

Masada. If we list iconic places in Israel that are definitely worth visiting, Masada can easily be placed in the top ten. Why? We will try to tell you about this in this article.

The only source of knowledge

There are events and plots in history that we know about only from one source, Moreover, he himself miraculously survived in dusty archives for the last two thousand years. We are talking about the book “The Jewish War” by the Jewish historian of the Roman period Josephus, written several years after the Jewish uprising against the Roman Empire. This book– the only source of knowledge about the bloody and heroic events in the Masada fortress in 73 AD. e., with the exception, of course, of modern archaeological discoveries. In it, Josephus surprisingly accurately describes the Masada fortress and the region where it is located.

“... A rocky cliff of insignificant volume and enormous height is surrounded on all sides by precipitous abysses of impenetrable depth, inaccessible neither to people nor to animals; only in two places, and even then with difficulty, can one approach the cliff: one of these roads lies east of Asphalt Lake(The Dead Sea in those days - author’s note) , and the other, more passable, is in the west.”

Masada on top of the cliff

Once there, we will realize that little has changed here since Josephus was in Masada. Situated on top of a 450-meter cliff, on the eastern outskirts of the Judean Desert, the fortress has its only connection with the outside world - the narrow Snake Path, rising from the Dead Sea. The mountain we are talking about is a giant fragment of the western edge of the Syrian-African Rift, which determines its inaccessibility, especially from the Dead Sea. From above it is flat and has the outline of a rhombus measuring 600 by 300 meters.

In the 30s BC. King Herod the Great, a descendant of the Edomites who converted to Judaism, began rapid construction on this site. Possessing obvious architectural talent, but suffering from paranoid suspicion, Herod comes to the conclusion that it is an inaccessible fortress in the wild desert that will save him from the conspiracies of his enemies and become an ideal refuge. A double fortress wall with four gates was built along the entire perimeter of the mountain (1400 m). A magnificent three-tiered royal palace was erected on the northern cliff, not far from it they built the official residence of important guests and three smaller palaces for members of Herod’s family, as well as a synagogue, armory warehouses, pits for collecting and storing rainwater and other auxiliary buildings.

Revolt against the oppression of the Roman Empire

In the 66th year of the first century AD, historical events began to unfold in the Middle East, which, without exaggeration, seriously influenced the course of human history. We are talking about the revolt of the Jews against the oppression of the Roman Empire. At this time Masada was taken by the rebels Zealots- irreconcilable and militant opponents of the Romans, who decided to fight them to the bitter end and destroyed the Roman garrison. In 67 AD. The Sicarii, representatives of the radical wing of the Zealot movement, settled in Masada. It was they who led the uprising against the Romans, which then resulted in the long Jewish War.

In the summer of 70 AD. Roman commander Titus captures Holy Jerusalem, fiercely defended by rebels, and destroys the First Temple of Jerusalem. Soon Masada remains the only stronghold of the rebels. The defenders of the fortress numbered barely a thousand people, including women and children, but they managed to hold Masada for another three years.

Around the seemingly impregnable fortress, legionnaires set up eight military camps, the outlines of which have survived to this day. The military campaign to capture the last stronghold of the Jewish rebels was led by the legendary Tenth Legion of the Roman army. Having examined Mount Masada from all sides, the commander of the legion, Flavius Silva, gives the order to pour a 70-meter stone rampart (ramp) on the western, weaker side of the fortress. With the help of this shaft, the Romans planned to bring the ram as close as possible to the fortress wall. After much resistance, the Romans make a hole in the wall, but leave the capture of the fortress until the next day. Masada's fate was sealed.

Death, but not slavery

ABOUT One of the leaders of the uprising, Elazar Ben Yair, realizing that all those besieged in the fortress will be destroyed, and the survivors will be subjected to severe torture and humiliation, during the night he convinces his comrades to choose death rather than slavery. “Long ago, brave men, we decided not to obey either the Romans or anyone else except G‑d, for He is the only true and just King over men. I look at it as G-d’s mercy that He gave us the opportunity to die a beautiful death and free people, which was not destined for others who were unexpectedly captured».

Lots were cast, ten executors of the last will were chosen, who stabbed all the defenders of the fortress, women and children, with swords, after which one of them, also chosen by lot, killed the others and committed suicide.

In those days, 960 besieged Jewish rebels gave their lives for freedom in Masada. The Romans, ready for battle, were amazed at the terrible sight that appeared before them. Thus ended the Jewish War of 66-73. n. e.

Masada - a symbol of national courage

The remains of the legendary fortress were sought for many centuries, but were discovered only in 1842. Serious study of this place and excavations began only in the sixties of the twentieth century. Restoration work lasted for decades, and only by the beginning of this century did scientists and restorers restore the fortress to the same form it was under King Herod.

For modern Israel Masada - not only a historical monument, but also a synonym for national courage, heroism and the desire for freedom, on which more than one generation of the country’s inhabitants was brought up. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit this place every year. Today the fortress is a real ancient citywith the streets and all the infrastructure of that distant time. There are two ways to get there: by cable car, which will take you to the top of the rock in two or three minutes, or along the Snake Path - the same one used by the defenders of the fortress. This path is not easy and takes about an hour. However, enthusiasts who brave the difficult hike on foot will be truly rewarded: from every point on this winding path there is an amazingly beautiful view of the Dead Sea and the picturesque surroundings.

Every year, at the foot of Masada, various cultural events are held, as well as international opera festivals, during which Israelis and guests from all over the world have an excellent opportunity to fully enjoy the art of opera right in the open air.

The sunrise over Masada is especially fascinating and mesmerizing.

Due to the high content of bromine vapor, with the first rays of the sun the air turns into the most bizarre shades, and the morning dawn turns into an amazing play of colors that truly stuns the imagination. Always a cloudless sky, a pale turquoise sea in a white edge of salt, the mountains of Jordan on the eastern shore, the desert around with its special silence and unnaturally clean air and the feeling of involvement in the historical events of those distant times... Masada is worth visiting here, seeing it all with your own eyes and get new, unforgettable emotions.

All that remains is to arm yourself with a volume of “The Jewish War” and go explore the ancient fortress.

Masada, an ancient fortification on top of a cliff, did not need very high walls: it is surrounded on all sides by steep slopes, and when you look down from these cliffs it is simply breathtaking. The fortress raised to the top remained a symbol of the spirit of the ancient people, who never submitted to foreign invaders. Indeed, it was almost impossible to take the fortress, but the Romans split other strongholds, and to take Masada they built such a powerful siege rampart that it has survived to this day.

THREE YEARS OF THE GREAT SIEGE

For more than a thousand days, Masada was defended by the Sicarii who rebelled against the Romans. The last of them died here, preferring death to shameful Roman slavery.

The Masada fortress occupies the flat top of a free-standing small plateau, shaped like a diamond. From here there is a wonderful view of the eastern part of the Judean Desert and the surface of the Dead Sea sparkling under the sun.

There is no exact information about the history of the appearance of the Masada fortress. The Jewish historian and military leader Josephus (c. 37 - c. 100) wrote that the fortification owed its appearance to Jonathan the Hasmonean, who headed it in 161 BC. e. Maccabean revolt. However, there is an assumption that Flavius had in mind Alexander Janna (125 - 76 BC), a Jewish king from the Hasmonean dynasty.

In 31 - 37 BC. e. the Jewish king Herod I the Great (about 73/74 - 4/1 BC) captured the fortress during the struggle for the throne. He gained fame as a great builder, and Masada underwent serious reconstruction during his reign. The fortifications were strengthened. In addition, at his order, two luxurious palaces, magnificent baths and aqueducts were erected here. The latter were extremely necessary, since water at the top was collected in reservoirs during short periods of precipitation. Herod had many enemies, and Masada seemed to him the best refuge, as it seemed absolutely impregnable. That is why Herod built a treasury here, where considerable reserves of royal gold were kept.

During the Jewish War 66 - 73 AD. Masada became the last stronghold of the rebels against the tyranny of Rome.

When the Romans came to Judea, they found Masada and left a small garrison in it, because to defend the fortress it was enough to just block a couple of paths that led to the top. In 66, at the very beginning of the uprising against Rome, a group of Sicarii (the most radical Jewish group of fighters against the Romans) managed to capture Masada, knocking out the weak Roman garrison.

The situation in the war with the Romans was not in favor of the Jews, and the last Sicarii found refuge in Masada after the destruction of the second temple in 70. The premises of the fortress were so vast that a thousand sicarii settled here, equipping a synagogue and a school.

The year 72 came, and Masada still remained the only island of freedom in Judea, which forced the Romans to send here the 10th legion under the command of procurator Flavius Silva. The Romans built about a dozen camps around Masada, connecting them with a single rampart, which prevented the blockade from being broken.

However, the hope that the besieged would die of hunger and thirst was not justified: the Sicarii had plenty of food, and they received water thanks to an ingenious water supply system.

For several months, 5 thousand Romans and 10 thousand of their allies stood under the walls of Masada, until they decided to take the most difficult path: to build an embankment on the western slope. This was the only way to bring siege weapons to the walls, unable to throw stones and fire from the foot of the plateau to the top.

The mound was laid under the cover of arrows and stones. After seven months of siege, the Romans brought a siege tower along the embankment and from it they managed to set fire to the internal buildings in the fortress.

Seeing the hopelessness of their situation, all the Sicarii, including women and children, chose to commit suicide rather than surrender.

A FORTRESS FULL OF MYSTERIES

Not all the secrets of the Masada fortress have already been solved. Thus, some archaeologists are inclined to believe that there never was any mass suicide of Jews in the fortress, and this story itself is just a folk legend.

Today, the Masada Fortress is the main site of the Masada National Park, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001.

No exact information has been preserved about the history of Masada. Almost all that researchers have is a set of artifacts found in Masada.

For fifteen hundred years, no one remembered Masada: it no longer had a strategic role, and only the most fanatical hermits could live on the top of the plateau.

They started talking about Masada again in the first half of the 19th century, when an Anglo-American expedition reached it. The main excavations were carried out in 1963 - 1965. The most valuable find is 10 clay ostracon tablets with names, which, according to archaeologists, were used as lots for suicide by the defenders of Masada: the last survivor had to set fire to the fortress before death.

Numerous structures were also discovered and excavated in the fortress, surrounded by a one and a half meter thick wall with towers. Among these buildings, of which only ruins remain, are palaces, armories, a synagogue and baths.

When reservoirs carved into the rock for collecting and storing rainwater were discovered, it became clear how the defenders of the fortress managed to collect and store clean, cold water for a long time. The Jews built open plastered canals to drain rainwater from two canyons west of Masada into twelve catchment cisterns carved on the northwestern slope of the mountain in two parallel rows (total capacity - about 40 thousand m2). From here, water was already manually delivered to other tanks on the top of the mountain, most of them underground.

An amazing fact: the embankment made by the Romans has been preserved in excellent condition. Moreover, one can judge from it the ancient Roman siege technologies: the Romans poured alternate layers of stones and compacted earth, interspersing them with thick tree branches, which served as a kind of reinforcement and gave strength to the entire structure.

Among the ruins of the fortress, the remains of 25 men, women and children were found. In 1969, two years after the victory in the Six-Day War, they were buried with military honors.

Despite all these finds, direct archaeological evidence of the tragedy that occurred in Masada has not yet been discovered.

On the territory of Masada there are preserved ruins of a Byzantine monastery, known in archeology as the Lavra of Marda. It is known that there was once a church here, built by the holy hieromonk Euthymius the Great (about 377 - 473), when Byzantium came here to replace Ancient Rome. Just after about a century, it was destroyed, and in its place, in the second half of the 6th century, another church was built, of which only ruins remained. The Lavra briefly outlived the church and was also destroyed around the 5th century.

The Israeli city of Arad is closest to Masada, and the roads that lead from the city to the Dead Sea are winding mountain serpentines - one of the most dangerous in the country. The city is still very young: it was founded in 1962 by natives of Israel and immigrants from Israel, and today more than half of the city’s residents are immigrants from the countries of the former USSR, working in hotels at Dead Sea resorts.

ATTRACTIONS

Historical:

Masada Fortress (fortress wall, towers, palaces, synagogue, armories, baths, water supply);
Roman mound;
Byzantine monastery.

Cultural:

Masada National Park;
Masada History Museum;
Visitor Center.

INTERESTING FACTS

There is a version that the word "masada" comes from the Aramaic word "metsad", which means "fortified place."

By decision of the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Moshe Dayan (1915 - 1981), in Israel, for some time, IDF soldiers took an oath within the walls of the ancient fortress of Masada, uttering the symbolic words of the oath “Masada will not fall again!” - this is a line from a poem by the Israeli poet Isaac Lamdan. This ceremony has now been moved to Latrun, 30 km east of Tel Aviv.

In 1981, Soviet émigré director Boris Sagal filmed the four-part television series Masada. Filming took place at the scene of the events - at the foot of Masada. At the western wall of the plateau there are several siege weapons of the ancient Romans - replicas (reconstructions) made by Hollywood masters for the filming of a film about Masada and left there as a gift to the citizens of Israel.

Archaeologists who argue that Josephus gave an incorrect and possibly fictitious description of Masada cite as evidence the fact that the ancient historian named one palace at Masada, although in fact there were two. In addition, at the time of the capture of Masada, Josephus had already been in Rome for a long time.

According to Josephus, only one old woman and a certain smart woman with five children, who hid when she went to draw water from an underground reservoir, were saved from death in Masada. It was she who told the Romans about what happened in Masada.

One of the date seeds found during excavations at Masada sprouted in 2005, by 2008 the palm was already 1.2 m high, and is now over 2.5 m.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Location: Near the southwestern coast of the Dead Sea.
Administrative affiliation: Southern District, Israel.
Official status: national park site
Masada is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
First buildings: 30s BC e.
Nearest city: Arad (Israel) - 23,400 people. (2009).
Language: Hebrew.
Religion: Judaism.
Currency: new shekel.

Climate: dry climate of deserts and semi-deserts.
Average January temperature: +11C.
Average July temperature: +26.5C.
Average annual precipitation: 100 mm.
Relative humidity: 50%.

Length of the plateau: about 550 m.
Plateau width: 270 m.
Length of the fortress wall: 1400 m.
Thickness of the fortress wall: about 4 m.
Number of towers: 37.
Altitude above Dead Sea level: 450 m.
Distance: 20 km east of the city of Arad.

He stood on top of a steep cliff. Behind is the sea, at the foot are thousands of Romans besieging the fortress, which became the last refuge of his people, who rebelled against the power of the Roman conquerors.

“We will die, but we will die free,” Elazar ben Yair, the leader of the Sicarii, a radical part of the Jewish community, addressed the people. - Our ancestors did not have such an opportunity. They died as slaves. We will die as free people, so as not to give joy to our enemy to mock us.”

About a thousand warriors first killed their wives and children, and then they cast lots and chose ten, who were given the right to kill all the other Sicari men with daggers. Strong warriors died hugging the bodies of their children. It was better to die than to be enslaved, they were convinced. The last remaining Sicarius killed himself.

This happened in 73 AD - the night before the fall of Masada - one of the most ancient fortresses preserved in the world. Masada is a fortress of freedom. This is the only way the descendants of the ancient Sicarii call it today.

History of the fortress

Masada is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fortress was built more than 2 thousand years ago on a steep cliff at an altitude of 450 meters above the Dead Sea by the great Herod I, king of the Edomites who converted to Judaism. He was known as a cruel tyrant, but he was also a great builder. He built Masada for two purposes: to protect himself and his family and to hide huge reserves of royal gold there.

Masada still looks impregnable. A narrow path, called the snake path, on the one hand, and an embankment built by the Romans during the siege of the fortress on the other - these are all the approaches to the fortress. A four-meter two-row wall, 36 watchtowers, four gates and steep cliffs reliably protected Masada from enemies.

Herod's ancient fortress was a model of engineering at that time. In addition to the two royal palaces, complex hydraulic structures were located on the plateau, providing the inhabitants of the fortress with water, as well as cold and hot baths, weapons and provisions warehouses, and a synagogue.

Jewish War

After the death of Herod the Great, Judea was captured by the Romans. It was a terrible era for the Jews. The second Temple of their faith, built by Herod, was destroyed, the Jews were enslaved, their faith was trampled upon. All this led to a rebellion breaking out there in 66 AD. It was led by the radical part of Judea - the Sicarii. The uprising marked the beginning of the Jewish War.

In 70, the tenth Roman legion arrived in Judea and dealt a crushing blow to the rebels. The last group of Sicarii, about 1000 people, took refuge in the Masada fortress. And her siege began.

9 thousand slaves built embankments for the Romans to install rams and begin the assault on a seemingly impregnable fortress. Masada's defenders responded by building another internal defensive wall. But the Romans set it on fire. And when it became absolutely clear that the fortress could not be held, the rebels decided to kill themselves and their children in order to die free, and not slaves.

Lost Fortress. Start of recovery

After the fall of the defenders of Masada at the beginning of the first millennium, Roman legions stood there for several decades, but then they left there. The fortress was empty and began to collapse.

Its remains were found only in 1862, but only a hundred years later real excavations began here.

Today Masada is almost completely restored. Where the historical part ends and the restored one begins, there is a solid black line.

Surprisingly, a lot has been preserved in the fortress. And the Northern Royal Palace (a stunning three-level structure hanging over a cliff), and a synagogue, and water tanks. Archaeologists have even found the nameplates that the Sicarii drew when casting lots to determine the ten warriors who would kill all the Jews who were still alive before the surrender of Masada.

A special spirit of freedom, grandeur and loneliness reigns here.

Under your feet is an endless desert and the deserted Dead Sea. A stunning view opens from the western part of the fortress, from the desert side.

The fortress really makes a strong impression. Especially the three-level royal palace, which is perfectly preserved. There, by the way, there was another one, from the western part of the fortress, which was considered the official residence of Herod. But there is little left of him.

But you can see the ancient synagogue in detail. The fact that it was found there in principle is an important historical discovery. It used to be believed that Jews did not build synagogues as long as the Temple existed for them. The period of construction of Masada dates back to the era of the Second Temple, that is, it existed, but synagogues were nevertheless built by Jews.

But this, of course, is a fact that interests scientists more. And for tourists it will be more interesting to simply look down from the cliff.

There, at its foot, the sun-dried soil still preserves the sites of Roman legionnaires. In 73, the tenth Roman legion under the command of Flavius Silva surrounded the fortress, setting up several camps. It is the outlines of these very camps that are visible from the fortress walls. And the mound, built by slaves to besiege the fortress, is now used by the Israeli army.

Even in Masada, ancient frescoes, mosaics, and drawings have been preserved. Water tanks, floors above water tanks - to ensure coolness in the premises. It’s worth looking at just because these things are over two thousand years old!

Masada - for tourists

Today Masada is one of the main attractions of Israel. For the convenience of tourists, a guest house was built here, where you can not only sit comfortably, leave your car under a canopy and have a snack, but also watch a documentary about the history of the fortress and get acquainted with the preserved artifacts.

You will be taken to the fortress itself by a funicular, which opened here quite recently.

Masada also regularly hosts classical music festivals. For several days a year, the fortress turns into an amphitheater with excellent acoustics and amazing historical surroundings. And, of course, it’s impossible to miss the stunning pyrotechnic shows when the Legend comes to life against the backdrop of illuminated mountains.

There was a lot in the history of the Jewish people, but what was always missing from it were exploits. The same resistance in the ghetto during the Great Patriotic War, although described differently in different sources, the closer the author was to the events, the less he mentions heroism. And yet, there is something to talk about.

Masada is a legendary ancient fortress located almost on the shores of the Dead Sea. It is on the list of World Heritage Sites.

As soon as they don’t write the familiar word “Masada” from an unfamiliar language - Massada, Mossada, Mossada... And the Israeli foreign intelligence service is called Mossad, Mossad, Massad, Masad. The correct spelling and pronunciation is Masada, with emphasis on the second “a”. It is no coincidence that these names are consonant. The name of the intelligence agency was based on the name of the fortress.

The Masada fortress in Israel was built in 25 BC by King Herod the Great, who left a memory of himself as a cruel villain who, fearing to lose his throne, ordered the killing of all the babies of Bethlehem in order to get rid of the newborn Jesus.

However, he also left a mark on history as a king-builder. He expanded the Temple Mount, reconstructed the Second Temple, and built an Amphitheater in the suburbs of Jerusalem, where gladiator fights and horse races were held. In honor of his deceased brother, he built a mausoleum with a tower. He rebuilt Samaria, built the port of Caesar, a temple on the island of Rhodes, founded Herodion and Heshbon (now the territory of Jordan).

Built on top of an inaccessible cliff in the arid and desolate desert region of Israel, the Masada fortress served several purposes. It was a refuge for Herod and his family during times of endless wars; gold and weapons were stored in it.

The fortress walls, four meters thick and almost one and a half kilometers long with numerous defensive towers, the palace of King Herod, and the synagogue have survived to this day.

Masada had a well-organized system for collecting rainwater into huge storage tanks. Supplies of food and drinking water helped the defenders of the fortress hold their defense for three years.

History of Masada Fortress

In 67 AD. The Sicarii, representatives of the radical wing of the Zealot movement, settled in Masada. It was they who led the uprising against the Romans, which then resulted in the long Jewish War.

Having examined Mount Masada from all sides, the commander of the legion, Flavius Silva, gives the order to pour a 70-meter stone rampart (ramp) on the western, weaker side of the fortress. With the help of this shaft, the Romans planned to bring the ram as close as possible to the fortress wall.

About 9 thousand slaves built roads and carried earth to build a siege rampart around the fortress and platforms for throwing machines and rams.

When the Romans managed to set fire to the additional internal defensive wall built by the Sicarii, consisting of wooden beams, the fate of Masada was sealed.

One of the leaders of the uprising, Elazar Ben Yair, realizing that all those besieged in the fortress will be destroyed, and the survivors will be subjected to severe torture and humiliation, during the night he convinces his comrades to choose death rather than slavery.

“Long ago, brave men, we decided not to obey either the Romans or anyone else except G‑d, for He is the only true and just King over people. I look at it as God’s mercy that He gave us the opportunity to die a beautiful death and free people, which was not destined for others who were unexpectedly captured.”

In the heart of the fortress, behind a glass door, a rabbi is copying the Torah. He reacts quite negatively to attempts to photograph him.

One of the most striking finds is the synagogue. It was believed that the Jews had no need for synagogues as long as they had the Temple. Masada was reconstructed during the existence of the Second Temple, but a synagogue was nevertheless created in it.

For some time, the history of the defense of Masada was considered a legend, but a comparison of Jewish and Roman historical chronicles, including Josephus's book "The Jewish War", and archaeological finds on the territory of the fortress, including stone tablets with names used as lots for ten executors of the last will, convince of the opposite.

Today the fortress is a real ancient city with streets and all the infrastructure of that distant time. There are two ways to get there: by cable car, which will take you to the top of the rock in two or three minutes, or along the Snake Path - the same one used by the defenders of the fortress.

This path is not easy and takes about an hour. However, enthusiasts who brave the difficult hike on foot will be truly rewarded: from every point on this winding path there is an amazingly beautiful view of the Dead Sea and the picturesque surroundings.

Grandiose concerts and festivals with the participation of world-class stars are sometimes held at the foot of the mountain. The fortress is firmly among the top ten must-see attractions in the country.

For modern Israel, Masada is not only a historical monument, but also a synonym for national courage, heroism and the desire for freedom, on which more than one generation of the country’s inhabitants has been brought up.