MASADA: An archeological update

MASADA: What Really Happened?

In 72 CE, the Roman governor of Judaea, Lucius Flavius Silva, led a full legion and several auxiliary units, including Jewish prisoners of war, totaling some 15,000 men and women, of whom an estimated 8,000 to 9,000 were fighting men, to lay siege to the 960 people in Masada. The Roman legion surrounded Masada and built a wall before commencing construction of a siege ramp against the western face of the plateau, moving thousands of tons of stones and beating the earth to do so. Josephus does not record any attempts by the Sicarii to counterattack the besiegers during this process, which is a significant difference from his accounts of other sieges of the revolt.

The ramp was completed in the spring of 73 CE, after probably two to three months of siege. A giant siege tower was constructed and moved laboriously up the completed ramp while the Romans assaulted the wall, discharging “a volley of blazing torches against … a wall of timber.” This allowed the Romans to breach the wall of the fortress on April 16, 73 AD.

According to Josephus, “The Jews hoped that all of their nation beyond the Euphrates would join together with them to raise an insurrection.” Still, in the end, only 960 Jewish Zealots fought the Roman army at Masada.

Archaeological findings challenge accepted Masada history.

A groundbreaking study has upended the long-held belief that the Roman siege lasted three years. Using advanced technology and a fresh analytical approach, Tel Aviv University researchers now conclude that the famous standoff likely lasted only a few weeks, challenging a cornerstone of Israeli national mythology.

The study employed cutting-edge tools, including 3D software, remote-sensing drones, and other advanced technologies. This innovative approach allowed the research team to gain fresh insights into the Roman army’s tactics and the siege’s duration.

“While Masada has been extensively studied since the early 19th century, modern technology allows us to ask new questions and gain novel perspectives on three key areas: water systems, access routes, and the Roman siege apparatus,” Dr. Stiebel explained.

Dr. Hai Ashkenazi, a collaborator in the study, detailed their methodology: “We have reliable data on the daily earth-moving capacity of Roman soldiers. With an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 troops involved in the Masada siege, we calculated that constructing the entire siege system – eight camps and a surrounding stone wall – would have taken less than two weeks. Historical sources suggest that an assault, lasting a few weeks at most, would have followed immediately an interview with Israel Hayom; Dr. Stiebel emphasized the importance of examining the evidence through a Roman, rather than Israeli, lens. “The Roman army’s modus operandi favored swift, decisive action. All on-site evidence points to a short-lived siege,” he stated.

Addressing why the Romans targeted Masada in 73 CE, three years after Jerusalem’s fall, Dr. Stiebel explained its strategic importance: “While Masada might seem isolated, it was close to a vital Roman resource – the balsam groves of Ein Gedi. The perfume produced from these trees was the empire’s most valuable commodity, filling Rome’s coffers. Masada’s rebels were raiding Ein Gedi, destroying these precious trees. This prompted Rome’s complex logistical operation to neutralize the threat.”

Dr. Stiebel concluded: “The Masada narrative – the rebellion, siege, and tragic end – is deeply ingrained in Israeli identity and Zionist history. While our findings suggest a much shorter siege, they do not diminish the event’s historical significance.”
The Romans attacked Masada around 73 or 74 CE, about three years after the fall of Jerusalem, primarily to restore order in Judaea and suppress any remaining resistance. After the fall of Jerusalem, the Romans aimed to eliminate the last strongholds of Jewish rebels, including Masada, which was occupied by the extremist Sicarii sect.

Additionally, the Romans were motivated by the need to secure the production of balsam, a valuable perfume, in nearby Ein Gedi. The disruption caused by the Jewish rebels at Masada threatened this lucrative resource.

In Jewish Roman-era historian Josephus’s stirring tale, as the 8,000-strong Roman army encroached upon the 967 residents of the Jews’ stronghold, a group of 10 rebels decided it was better to die than be captured. They vowed to kill each other and their families and drew lots to see who would be left to commit suicide, forbidden by Jewish law. The book examines and presents the archaeological artifacts that serve as the basis for affirming the Josephus narrative and the quantity of evidence that counters it. Maybe there was no mass suicide at Masada?

Top archaeologist questions a legend:

Prof. Jodi Magness busts myths and asks unanswerable questions in a new book about Masada — the site of the largest Jewish wholesale self-slaughter that may never have been: The Times of Israel.

In “Masada” and in our conversation, Magness cited the work of archaeologist Hillel Geva, who claims that a massive debris mound found near the northern palace is a Roman assault ramp. “According to Geva, there was no mass suicide at Masada.
Findings also indicate that, contrary to the widespread myth, the Roman Army’s siege of Masada lasted no more than a few weeks.

This updates the old version of what really went on at Masada.