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Location and Setting 
- A unique "mesa" on the eastern slopes of the Judean Desert, Masada rises 1,440
feet above the western shore of the Dead Sea. It is located fourteen miles north of the
southern end of the sea and eleven miles south of Engedi.
- Masada lies in an arid region that lacks a permanent water supply. In spite of this,
during the zenith of Masada’s history, more water was stored on this fortified
mountain than on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Herod the Great built a water system by
installing dams in the nearby wadis (valleys) to divert the winter rains into
channels that directed the water into cisterns built in the northwest side of the cliff.
From there, slaves carried the water to the upper reservoir.
- The summit of Masada is virtually flat. Its surface area of 2130 feet
(710 yards) by 984 feet (328 yards) provides
sufficient space to sustain a thriving community.
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Two routes provide access to the top of the mountain. On the east side, the
"snake path," with its modern hand-cut steps, ascends over one thousand feet
from the desert floor. This was the only approach in David's day. The 328-foot Roman ramp
on the western side was built by Jewish forced labor during the Roman siege of A.D. 70-73.
- King Herod built two elaborate palaces on Masada. The "hanging palace," on the
northern end of the summit, extended down the promontory of the mountain on three levels.
The lowest level is 115 feet from the top. Winding staircases provided access to each
level. The other larger palace was located on the western side of the mountain.
- During Herod’s occupation of the site, a casemate wall was erected around the top
of the mesa and towers were positioned along the more vulnerable parts of the wall. In
addition, one lookout station was placed in the center of the community from which any
area of the hilltop could be monitored.
Historical and Biblical Significance
- Although Masada is not mentioned in the Bible
by name, it is possible that this was David’s place of refuge during
his flight from Saul and where he wrote some of his Psalms. If so, David
was probably referring to Masada as the
"stronghold" (1 Sam 22:4-5; 23:14; 24:22), using it to depict
God as his fortress and rock of refuge (Ps 18:2, 31; 71:3; 144:2).
- In A.D. 66, at the beginning of the Great Revolt against Rome, a group
of zealots called Sicarii captured Masada from the Roman garrison stationed
there. During the period of the revolt, Masada became a place of refuge
for others fleeing Roman rule. The last of the refugees arrived at Masada
in A.D. 70, after the destruction of the temple. They built a synagogue,
public hall and ritual-baths. This group lived there for three years
until A.D. 72 when units of the Roman army arrived to take Masada. The
siege lasted several months during which the army built an earthen ramp
up the western side of the mountain. They used Jewish slaves to build
the ramp so that the Jews on Masada would not roll rocks down the hill
to kill them. When there was no hope of escape, the Jews on Masada chose
to die rather than live as slaves under Rome. Nine hundred men, women
and children committed mass suicide. Only a few women and children survived
by hiding in covered cisterns. Before the suicide, they
burned all the buildings on Masada except the storehouses to demonstrate
to the Romans that they did not die because they had no food. The mass
suicide and ensuing destruction of the fortress occurred on the 15th
day of Nisan in A.D. 73, the night before the Roman Tenth Legion took
Masada.
- The valor of the Jewish zealots residing on Masada during the Roman siege is celebrated
as the supreme example of self-sacrifice for the preservation of the nation of Israel.
Today, when the recruits of the Israel Armored Corps take their oath of allegiance, they
do so on Masada to remind each generation of the price their forefathers paid for their
nation. They cry: "Masada shall not fall again!"
Bibliography
- "Masada National Park (A Tour Guide)", Ramat-Gan: Israel National Parks
Authority.
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