ISRAEL & THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES // Surveying the hazy horizon from this desert plateau can blur your sense of time and place. King Herod bulked up the fortress here between 37 and 31 BC, building two palaces; reconstructed mosaic floors and the remains of synagogue walls testify to its early days. According to accounts by Roman-Jewish historian Josephus, dagger-wielding Jewish freedom fighters, known as the Sicarii, seized the fort after Jerusalem's conquest by Romans in AD 70. When they realised the enemy was about to breach the gates, the Sicarii died by mass suicide rather than face enslavement by the Romans. Their legendary last stand makes this arid expanse of fragmented history and weather-beaten ruins even more compelling.

 

What is so special about Masada?

Some authorities believe that the site was settled during the time of the First Temple (c. 900 BC), but Masada is best known for the palaces and fortifications of Herod the Great (reigned 4–37 BC), king of Judea under the Romans. . And because of his resistance against the Roman siege in 72-73 AD.

Is Masada in Israel or Palestine?

where is masada Masada in Israel is located on the edge of the Judean Desert, between Ein Gedi and Sodom, on cliffs made of chalk, dolomite, and marl layers about 1,300 feet (400 meters) above the Dead Sea. Due to the desert climate, the surrounding areas are almost uninhabited and undeveloped.

How much is Masada entrance fee?

Masada National Park combined ticket (entrance and cable car one way) Adult: NIS 59; Child: NIS 31; Senior Israeli citizen: NIS 30. One-way cable car: Adults NIS 28; Child NIS 14; Round-trip cable car: adults NIS 46; Child NIS 28.

What happens at Masada?

According to Josephus, the siege of Masada by Roman soldiers from AD 73-74, at the end of the First Jewish-Roman War, ended with the mass suicide of 960 Sicari rebels hiding there. However, the archaeological evidence for this event is ambiguous and has been completely dismissed by some scholars.

How much time do you need at Masada?

The Masada snake trail takes approximately one hour to ninety minutes to climb and thirty to forty minutes to descend, depending on physical fitness. Due to the intense summer heat, it is recommended to climb before sunrise during the summer months.