Masada facts for kids

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Masada
History
מצדה‎
Aerial view of Masada, from the north
Location in Israel
Location	Southern District, Israel
Region	Judaean Desert
Coordinates	31°18′56″N 35°21′14″E / 31.31556°N 35.35389°E / 31.31556; 35.35389
Type	Fortification
Builder	Alexander Jannaeus (?) Herod the Great
Founded	1st century BCE
Events	Siege of Masada
Site notes
Excavation dates	1963–1965
Archaeologists	Yigael Yadin

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: iii, iv, vi
Inscription	2001 (25th Session)
Area	276 ha
Buffer zone	28,965 ha

Masada (Hebrew: מְצָדָה məṣādā, meaning "fortress") is an ancient fortification in southern Israel. It sits on top of a flat, isolated rock plateau, much like a mesa. This historic site is located on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, looking out over the Dead Sea. It is about 20 miles (32 km) east of Arad.

Herod the Great, a powerful king, built two palaces and made Masada a strong fortress between 37 and 31 BCE. Today, Masada is one of Israel's most popular tourist attractions. Around 750,000 people visit it each year.

What is Masada Like?

The Masada cliff is a natural horst, which is a raised block of Earth's crust. The plateau ends in steep cliffs, dropping about 400 meters (1,300 feet) to the east. To the west, the cliffs are about 90 meters (300 feet) high. This makes it very hard to reach the fortress naturally.

The top of the plateau is flat and shaped like a diamond. It measures about 550 meters (1,800 feet) long and 270 meters (890 feet) wide. King Herod built a 4-meter (13-foot) high casemate wall around the entire plateau. This wall was 1,300 meters (4,300 feet) long and had many towers.

The fortress had many important buildings. These included barracks for soldiers, an armory for weapons, and a palace. It also had large cisterns, which are underground tanks, that could hold about 40,000 cubic meters (1,400,000 cubic feet) of water. These cisterns collected rainwater. It's said that one day's rain could provide enough water for over 1,000 people for two to three years! Only three narrow, winding paths led up to the fortified gates.

Masada's Ancient History

Most of what we know about Masada comes from Josephus. He was a Jewish Roman historian who lived in the first century. Masada is also mentioned in other old writings from the Judean Desert.

Early Fortification by Hasmoneans

Josephus wrote that the site was first fortified by the Hasmonean ruler Alexander Jannaeus. This happened in the first century BCE. However, archaeologists have not yet found any buildings from this Hasmonean period.

Josephus also wrote that Herod the Great took control of Masada. This happened after his father, Antipater, died in 43 BCE. Masada survived a siege by the last Hasmonean king, Antigonus II Mattathias.

Herod's Royal Fortress

A caldarium (hot room) in northern Roman-style public bath (#35 on plan)

According to Josephus, King Herod built a large fortress on the plateau. This was between 37 and 31 BCE. He planned it as a safe place for himself if there was a revolt. He also built two palaces and made sure there was an endless supply of food.

The Great Jewish-Roman War

In 66 CE, a group of Jewish rebels called the Sicarii took over Masada. They used a trick to defeat the Roman soldiers there. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, more Sicarii members came to Masada. They had fled Jerusalem and settled on the mountaintop. Josephus said the Sicarii were an extreme Jewish group. They were different from the Zealots, who led most of the rebellion. Josephus also claimed the Sicarii attacked nearby Jewish villages.

In 73 CE, the Roman governor, Lucius Flavius Silva, led the Roman legion X Fretensis to Masada. They surrounded the fortress and built a huge circumvallation wall. Then, they built a massive siege ramp against the western side of the plateau. This ramp was mostly a natural rock spur. It was about 114 meters (375 feet) high.

The ramp was finished in the spring of 73 CE. This allowed the Romans to break through the fortress wall. They used a battering ram on April 16. The Romans used about 15,000 soldiers and helpers. They also used Jewish prisoners of war to help them.

Masada's Later Life: A Monastery

Masada was last used during the Byzantine period. A small church was built there. This church was part of a monastery called Marda. Researchers generally agree with this identification. The word marda means "fortress" in Aramaic.

Exploring Masada: Archaeology

Archaeologists have learned a lot about Masada. The site was first identified in 1838 by Edward Robinson and Eli Smith. In 1842, Samuel W. Wolcott and W. Tipping were the first modern people to climb it.

Yigael Yadin's Discoveries

Funeral to the human remains unearthed at Masada, 1969. Menachem Begin and Yisrael Yeshayahu second and third in front from right.

Israeli archaeologist Yigael Yadin led a big excavation at Masada. This happened between 1963 and 1965. Because Masada is in a remote, dry area, it remained mostly untouched for 2,000 years.

Many ancient buildings have been rebuilt from their remains. This includes the wall paintings of Herod's palaces. The Roman-style public bathhouses he built have also been restored. The synagogue, storage rooms, and houses of the Jewish rebels have been found and restored too.

The large water cisterns on the cliff collected water from nearby dry riverbeds. This explains how the rebels had enough water for a long time. The Roman attack ramp is still on the western side. You can even climb it today. The Roman wall built around Masada can also be seen. There are also eight Roman siege camps outside this wall. These Roman siege structures are very well preserved. This is why Masada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Yadin wrote a book about Masada in 1966. It was for everyone to read because so many people were interested.

What Did Archaeologists Find?

Inside the synagogue, archaeologists found a piece of pottery. It had the words ma'aser cohen (מעשר כוהן‎), meaning "tithe for the priest." They also found pieces of two scrolls. These included parts of Deuteronomy and the Book of Ezekiel.

In other areas, they found pieces of the books of Genesis, Leviticus, Psalms, and Sirach. They also found parts of the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice.

Near the Northern Palace, 11 small pieces of pottery were found. Each had a single name. One said "ben Ya'ir" (בןיאיר‎). This might be short for Eleazar ben Ya'ir, the commander of the fortress. The other 10 names might be those of the men chosen by lot to kill the others and then themselves, as Josephus described.

Ancient Plant Seeds

Archaeologists found a 2,000-year-old Judean date palm seed during excavations in the early 1960s. This seed was successfully grown into a date plant. It was named "Methuselah" after a very old figure in the Hebrew Bible. At the time, it was the oldest seed ever grown.

Byzantine Church Remains

The remains of a Byzantine church were found on the plateau. This church dates back to the fifth and sixth centuries.

Archaeology vs. Josephus's Writings

Archaeology has shown that Josephus's account is "incomplete and inaccurate." For example, Josephus wrote about only one palace, but archaeologists found two. His description of the northern palace has some mistakes. He also gave exaggerated numbers for the height of the walls and towers.

Visiting Masada Today

Masada was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. In 2007, the Masada Museum opened. It shows archaeological findings in a special way. Many items were found by Yadin and his team.

Masada as painted by Edward Lear, 1858.

The archaeological site is part of the Masada National Park. You need to pay an entrance fee to get in. There are two very steep hiking paths:

The Snake Trail starts on the eastern side. It climbs about 301 meters (988 feet). You can reach it from the Dead Sea Highway.
The Roman Ramp trail is also very steep. It has less climbing and is on the western side. You can reach it by car from the Arad road.

Many hikers start an hour before sunrise to avoid the hot mid-day sun. Temperatures can go above 43°C (109°F) in summer. The hiking paths are often closed during the day in summer due to the heat. Visitors should bring plenty of drinking water. Water is only available at the top.

Cable car (Masada cableway) heading down from Masada

You can also take a cable car to the top for a higher fee. The cable car opens at 8 am. A visitors' center and the museum are at the bottom of the cable car.

On some summer nights, there is a light-and-sound show. It is presented on the western side of the mountain.

Masada's Design and Building Phases

Masada is a great example of Herodian architecture. It was the first place Herod fortified after he became king.

Phase One: Western Palace and More

Herod's first building phase started in 35 BCE. During this time, the Western Palace was built. Three smaller palaces, a storeroom, and army barracks were also completed. Three columbarium towers and a swimming pool were built at the south end of the site.

The main part of the Western Palace was square. You entered through an open courtyard. This courtyard was the central room. It led visitors to a portico, which was a reception area. From there, visitors went to a throne room. The king had a private dressing room off the throne room. It also connected to the courtyard through a mosaic room. The mosaic room had steps to a second floor with separate bedrooms for the king and queen.

Phase Two: Northern Palace and Storage

The second building phase was in 25 BCE. This included an addition to the Western Palace. A large storage area for food was also built. The Northern Palace was built during this phase. It is one of Herod's most luxurious palace-fortresses. It was built on the north side of Masada. It goes down two levels over the edge of the cliffs.

The top level of the Northern Palace had living areas for the king. It also had a curved portico with great views. Stairs led down to the middle level, which was a round reception hall. The lower level was also for receptions and banquets. It had porticos on all four sides. It also included a Roman bathhouse.

Phase Three: The Casemate Wall

In 15 BCE, the third and final building phase happened. Almost all of Masada, except the Northern Palace, was enclosed by a casemate wall. This wall was a double wall with space in between. This space was divided into rooms. These rooms were used as living quarters for soldiers and for extra storage. The Western Palace was also made bigger for a third time. It added more rooms for servants.

Site Plan
	Snake Path gate Rebel dwellings Byzantine monastic cave eastern water cistern rebel dwellings mikvah southern gate rebel dwellings southern water cistern southern fort swimming pool small palace round columbarium tower mosaic workshop small palace small palace stepped pool Western Palace: service area Western Palace: residential area Western Palace: storerooms Western Palace: administrative area tanners' tower western Byzantine gate columbarium towers synagogue Byzantine church barracks Northern complex: grand residence Northern complex: quarry Northern complex: commandant's headquarters Northern complex: tower Northern complex: administration building Northern complex: gate Northern complex: storerooms Northern complex: bathhouse Northern complex: water gate Northern Palace: upper terrace Northern Palace: middle terrace Northern Palace: lower terrace A. ostraca cache found in casemate B. Herod's throne room C. colorful mosaic D. Roman breaching point E. coin cache found F. ostraca cache found G. three skeletons found

Images for kids

The Northern Palace's lower terrace (#39 on plan)
Stepped pool interpreted by Yadin as a Herodian swimming pool, possibly used as a public ritual immersion bath (mikveh) by the rebels (#17 on plan)
Byzantine church (#26 on plan)
Aerial view showing Masada and the Snake Path from the northeast
Masada's western Byzantine gate (#23 on plan)
Roman siege camp F and section of the Roman circumvallation wall

Masada's Legacy Today

Inspiration for the Israeli Army

Set of three Masada commemorative stamps, issued by Israel in 1965

The chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Moshe Dayan, started a tradition. Soldiers completing their basic training would have their swearing-in ceremony on top of Masada. The ceremony ends with the powerful declaration: "Masada shall not fall again." Soldiers would climb the Snake Path at night. Torches would light the background for the ceremony. Today, these ceremonies are also held in other important places.