his distinctly formed mountain lies between the Eastern edge of the Judean desert and the Western shore of the Dead Sea. While reports exist concerning the fact that a certain Jonathan the High Priest had initially turned this natural defensive position into a minor fortress, history and archaeological findings tell us its most infamous tenant and architect was King Herod the Great. Even prior to Herod's reign, his brother Joseph and other family members--being pursued by the Hasmoneans and the Parthians-- successfully took refuge on top of Masada.

There is certainly some irony in the fact that the most detailed and substantiated record of Masada's history was written by Josephus Flavius. Born Yoseph ben Matatyahu (his Hebrew name), Josephus had been one of the Jewish commanders in Galilee before "defecting" to the Romans and adopting the name "Flavius". While some of Josephus' writings concerning the event were long thought to be more legend than fact, several 19th and 20th century archaeological expeditions corroborated his writings in detail, most notably an eleven month expedition from October 9163 to May 9164 and November 9164 to April 9165 led by Yigael Yadin.

Regarding the Fortress and other structures atop Masada, Josephus writes: "Herod thus prepared this fortress on his own account, as a refuge against two kinds of danger; the one for fear of the multitude of the Jews, lest they should depose him and restore their former kings to the government; the other danger was greater and more terrible, which arose from Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, who did not conceal her intentions, but spoke often to Antony and desired him to cut off Herod and entreated him to bestow the Kingdom of Judea upon her. And certainly it is a great wonder that Antony did never comply with her commands in this point, as he was so miserably enslaved to his passion for her; nor should anyone have been surprised if she had been gratified in such her request. So the fear of these dangers made Herod rebuild Masada."

So it was that Herod, between the years 36 and 30 B.C., directed his architects and builders to erect a huge casemate wall around the top of the mountain as well as defense towers, huge rock-hewn cisterns filled ingeniously by occasional rain water, storehouses, barracks, arsenals and two sumptuously-appointed palaces.

Shortly after Herod's death, Roman legionaries were garrisoned within the fortress atop Masada. In 66 A.D., Jewish revolutionaries, led by Menahem, captured the garrison, driving out the Romans. When General Titus sacked Jerusalem, several surviving patriots from the Jewish capital managed to evade capture and made the long, arduous trek across the Judean wilderness. Determined to continue their battle against oppression, they soon joined their fellow freedom fighters atop Masada.

For almost two years these Zealots wreaked havoc by raiding the Roman encampments surrounding Masada's base and fending off repeated attacks against their fortress by the Roman troops. To this point, the major reason the Zealots were successful in their defense of their position was the fact that the summit could only be reached by use of a narrow Serpentine path which wound its way up the western face of the mountain.

As to the basic question of how these Zealots (or anyone, for that matter) could sustain themselves (aside from having water) in such a seemingly hostile environment for any length of time, we again quote Josephus: "The king [Herod] reserved the top of the hill, which was of a fat soil and better mould than any valley, for agriculture, that such as committed themselves to this fortress for their preservation, might not even there be destitute of food, in case they should ever be in want of it from abroad."

Aside from Josephus and historical accounts of the period in general, it is the archaeological findings that give details and insight into who these 967 men, women and children were, what they did and, to some extent, how and when they did it. Thanks to the various expeditions and the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Institute of Archaeology at Hebrew University, the Israel Exploration Society and the Masada Exhibit (whose present Curator is Gila Hurvitz) there exists (in addition to the site itself) an extensive collection of artifacts and remnants of the Zealots' personal belongings. When looked at collectively, the accounts and findings tell us that these Zealots lived their lives on the mountain as most Jews of their time, holding to custom and religious ritual as best they could under the circumstances.

By the year 72 A.D., the Roman Emperor Vespasian lost patience with this "nuisance" and ordered General Flavius Silva, the region's Governor, to crush this embarrassing outpost of Jewish resistance. Silva's tenth legion, some 15,000 strong, together with auxiliary troops and thousands of Jewish slaves carrying water, timber and provisions, marched across the barren plateau toward Masada.

Atop the "rock", the Zealots--now commanded by Eleazar Ben Yair--prepared to defend their formidable position, making use of the natural and man-made fortifications and carefully rationing their supplies.

Silva (who was to be vilified upon his return to Rome) prepared his troops for a lengthy siege. He ordered camps to be set up all around the base of the mountain. Then he forced his Jewish slaves to build a huge ramp of beaten earth and large stones up the western side of the mountain. A siege tower was then erected and, under covering fire from its top, an enormous battering ram was moved up the ramp and directed against the earth-filled wooden wall. The Romans finally set the wall afire, for a short time, the fickle wind blowing the flames back toward the tower and battering ram. But the wind soon changed direction, the flames now beginning to consume the wall.

This was the beginning of the end for the Zealots. The defensive wall was now partially breached and being rapidly destroyed by fire. It was only a matter of time. There was no hope of escape or relief. Eleazar Ben Yair knew there were only two alternatives left: surrender into slavery or death. He resolved that a death of glory was preferable to a life of infamy and that the most magnanimous resolution would be to disdain the idea of surviving the loss of their liberty. Rather than become slaves to their conquerors, these Zealots chose to end their lives at their own hands. When the Romans broke through the crumbled walls the next morning, they were met with silence. In the words of Josephus Flavius: "And so met the Romans with the multitude of the slain, but could take no pleasure in the fact, though it were done to their enemies. Nor could they do other than wonder at the courage of their resolution and at the immovable contempt of death which so great a number of them had shown, when they went through with such an action as that was."