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Masada
Masada ( ', 'fortress'; ) is a mountain-top fortress complex in the Judaean Desert, overlooking the western shore of the Dead Sea in southeastern Israel. The fort, built in the first century BCE, was constructed atop a natural plateau rising over above the surrounding terrain, east of modern Arad. The most significant remains at the site date to the reign of Herod the Great, King of Judaea c. 37–4 BCE, who transformed Masada into a fortified desert refuge early in his rule. He enclosed the summit with a casemate wall and towers, and constructed storerooms, an advanced water system, and bathhouses, along with two elaborate palaces: one on the western side and another built across three terraces on the northern cliff. These palaces remain among the finest examples of Herodian architecture. Masada is most renowned for its role during the First Jewish–Roman War (66–73 CE), when it became the final holdout of Jewish rebels following the destruction of Jerusalem. A grou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masada Myth
The Masada myth is the early Zionist retelling of the Siege of Masada, and an Israeli national myth. The Masada myth is a selectively constructed narrative based on Josephus's account, with the Sicarii instead depicted as national heroes in the First Jewish–Roman War. Josephus, the only written source for the event – albeit one considered to have a pro-Roman bias – described the Sicarii using words that have been translated as "bandits", "terrorists" and "murderers", and recorded them not only fighting the Romans but also killing their fellow Jews. The modern myth version first emerged and was promoted in Mandatory Palestine and later Israel. Despite the modern academic consensus, popular accounts by figures like Yigal Yadin and Moshe Pearlman have perpetuated the myth, influencing public perception.: "On the professional level, we now know that the Masada myth is a particular selective historically invented sequence (narrative) based, par-tially, on Josephus Flavius's accou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
