Israel
Masada

The squares on the ground are the remains of Roman Legion encampments.  There are eight of them around the Masada ruins.

King Herod, who ruled this area from 37 BC until his death in 4 BC, from 37 BC to 31 BC built a winter palace and fortification at Masada.  The remains of the fortress on the plateau are shown here and in subsequent pictures.  In 6 AD, a permanent Roman garrison was established at Masada.  The plateau is 1500 feet above the Dead Sea.  But, the Dead Sea is 1400 feet below sea level!  This  makes the Masada plateau 100 feet above sea level.

Scene with the Dead Sea seen in the background.

In 66 AD, the Great Jewish Revolt against the Romans broke out, Masada was conquered by one of the Jewish sects in that time period.  With the destruction of Jerusalem, by the Romans, in 70 AD, the rebel fighters from Jerusalem joined forces with those at Masada.  Thus, Masada became the last rebel stand in Judea.  In 73/74 AD, the Tenth Roman Legion laid siege to Masada.
After several months, the Romans had built their attack ramp and were bringing their siege engines to bear on the summit.  The Jewish defenders seeing their impossible position decided to take their own lives rather than be captured by the Romans

Food storage rooms

Remains of under-flooring for a Roman bath.  The main floor was constructed to rest upon these, then, equal height pillars.  Fires were built in a furnace attached to the bath proper and, thus, providing hot air to be channeled into the space under the main floor.  This allowed the flooring where people were standing or sitting to be well heated.

Herod's Palace half way between the top and base of the mountain

Steps from the top of Masada down to Herod's Palace

Remains of Herod's Palace

Above, in the mid-distance can be seen the remains of the ramp that the Romans constructed to conquer Masada.  Below is a close-up of same.  These views are from Herod's Palace.

Roman encampment

Roman attack ramp as seen from the top of Masada

Enchanting, chatty and friendly birds (Tristram's Starling)

Acre          Beit She'an          Bethlehem          Caesarea          Cana
Capharnaum         Haifa          Jericho          Masada          Nazareth
Rosh Hanikra          Tabagha          Tel Aviv          Zippori
Jerusalem: At Night     Mount Olives     Mount Zion     Western Wall

Pictures by Tom Aprille ( tomaprille@quartomese.com )                                                                   

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