The Siege of Masada: What Really Happened?

Masada is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Israel. It is best known from a dramatic episode described by Josephus in his account The Jewish War when the Judean rebels in the First Jewish Revolt made an epic last stand against the Tenth Roman Legion. But what really happened at Masada? And does the archaeological record support Josephus' account?

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Sources:

Josephus' account: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...

Jodi Magness, Archaeology of the Holy Land.

Gwyn Davies, “Under Siege: The Roman Field Works at Masada,” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, No. 362 (May 2011), 65-83

For more on the skeletons found at Masada, see: https://jamestabor.com/masada-mysteri...


Photo Credits:

IDF Soldiers: http://bobointexas.blogspot.com/2011/...

Masada at night, Avinoam Michaeli https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...

Credit: Andrew Shiva
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...

Ben-Yair Ostracon: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...

Siege Ramp: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Siege tower: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helepol...

Northern palace complex: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Palace terraces: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...