Page 183 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

ISRAEL 181

THE SURVIVORS ..c: Cistern
At the foot of the mountain, Herod
The story of the Roman siege of built dams and canals that collected
Masada, and the mass suicide the seasonal rainwater to fill cisterns
of the Jewish inhabitants, was on the northeastern side of the
told by two women survivors. fortress. This water was then carried
They had escaped the killings by donkey to the cisterns on top of
and the devastating fire lit by the rock, such as this one in the
southern part of the plateau.
the last man before he, too,
took his life, by hiding with A large number of pilgrims visit this rocky
their children in a cave. mountain citadel every year. The cable car was
in stalled to ease their tiring journey.

~ Columbarium
This is a small building with niches
for funerary urns; it is thought the
urns held the ashes of non-Jewish
members of Herod's court

~ Cistern

Western Wall

Western Palace A Synagogue
Possibly built by Herod, this
Used for receptions and the
accommodation of Herod's guests, synagogue is thought to be the Hanging Palace A
the Western Palace was richly oldest in the world. The stone
decorated, with mosaic floors seats were added by the Zealots.
and frescoes adorning the walls.

WestGate THE ROMAN SIEGE OF MASADA (AD 70-73)

According to a 1st-century been completed, a tower was
account by Roman historian constructed against the walls.
Flavius Josephus, the Roman From the shelter of this tower,
I egi ons I ayi ng siege to Ma sa da the Romans set to work with a
Roman Ramp numbered about 10,000 men. battering ram. The defenders
This is now the western To prevent the Jewish rebels hastily erected an inner
entrance to the site. from esc a ping, the Romans defensive wall, but this proved
surrounded the mountain with little obstacle and Masada fell
a ring of eight camps, linked when it was breached. Rather
by walls-an arrangement than submit to capture, slavery,
KEY DATES
that can still be seen today. or execution, the Jews inside
37-31 BC 1963 2001 In order to make their attack, the fortress chose to commit
the Romans built an enormous mass suicide. Josephus relates Remains of one of the
King Herod starts Excavations of UNESCO declares earthen ramp up the side of how each man was responsible Roman base camps, viewed
his grand bse building the Masada MasadaaWorld the mountain. Once this had for killing his own family. from the top of the fortress
project. stronghold begin. Her~age Site.