April 16 73 – The Jewish Revolt Ends When Roman Soldiers Capture the Fortress at Masada
*Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons Situated on steep cliffs some 1,300 feet above the Judean Desert about 2.5 miles southwest of the Dead Sea, Masada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with stunning panoramic views of eastern Israel. Historically, the isolated fortress serves as a controversial reminder of the Jewish Revolt, which came to an end on April 16, 73 when Roman soldiers broke through the gate at Masada. What they allegedly found within made the site the stuff of legend. The history of Masada begins, according to the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, approximately two centuries before when “Jonathan the high priest” (likely a regional king named Alexander Jannaeus) built a rudimentary castle on the site. Spread out atop a plateau, the location is accessible only by three narrow trails up the mountain and has excellent long-range visibility, providing inhabitants advance warning of and easier defense from advancing armies. Sometime around 40 BCE, the Roman-allied King Herod moved his family to the hilltop fortress, believing they would be safe from his enemy Antigonus’ armies. When he died more than three decades later, Masada was a well-developed outpost: a mile-long wall with 27 guard stations protected a large palace complex. Within these defenses, a sophisticated system for rainwater collection filled cisterns with plenty of drinkable water and extensive storage existed for food and weapons — those inside could literally survive for months in the event of a siege.