Masada

 

We left Jerusalem at 2600 feet above sea level and within 30 miles we dropped to 1200 feet below sea level at the Dead Sea. The temperature increased by 10 degrees and the moisture level rapidly decreased. The Judean desert only gets .3 inches of rain per year. But historically this is a land of riches. The rains in the mountains become springs here supplying water to groves of date trees. Dates have more sugar content than any other fruit and remain edible without refrigeration, important for taking on long journeys. Salt preserves meats for long periods. In fact salt was often the wages of soldiers, the word ‘soldier’ and ‘salary’ are derived from ‘salt’. The bitumen oil from this region was both a medicine and a sealant for ships. Finally, balsam, a spice from a secret recipe here, was used as an incense. Herod was given control of this land after Marc Anthony betrayed Caesar, and these became a major source of his wealth. This is why he built a palace here and stored much of his share of the goods made here.

We took the tram up to the top. Masada, meaning ‘fort’, was rediscovered in 1942 by some boys hiking in the area. As we look at the ruins, a black line distinguishes what was found in 1942 and what has been restored. The interiors were plastered and painted, there were gardens, water fountains, and baths. An elaborate water system channeled mountain rain to large cisterns on the sides of the Mesa. Donkeys were used to bring the water up the Mesa top to cisterns in the fort. On the edge of the mesa is Herod’s Palace built in the form of three terraces. Nearby is the public bath, where water was heated below the floor to create steam.

Public Bath with plumbing

In 66 AD, the Jewish zealots came to Masada because the Romans were taking over the Land of Israel. Four years later another 400 or 500 Jews joined them, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. In 74 AD, the Romans laid siege to Masada, we can see the remains of their camps below us. They began building a ramp up to the walls of Masada to batter them down. The Romans gave the Jews one night to surrender, they would make the final assault on Passover. The men met in the synagogue, where they faced the likelihood of death, rape and slavery. According to Flavius  Josephus they instead had the men kill their families, then they chose 10 men to kill all others and one to kill the nine and he would then commit suicide. The Romans entered to find everyone dead except for five women and children, who told the tale. Archeological evidence cannot confirm this account.

The lots found at Masada