Northern Palace, Lower Terrace

Abstract

~According to Josephus Flavius, Herod the Great fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BC as a refuge for himself in the event of a revolt. In 66 AD, began the great Jewish rebellion against Rome, which ended tragically in 73 AD. In 72 AD, the Roman governor laid a siege on Masada. According to Josephus, when the Romans entered the fortress they discovered that its 960 inhabitants committed mass suicide. Seen is the lower levels of the palace, a space which was probably a round hall constructed of two circles of pillars. Under the rock wall are a staircase and living rooms. To the east was a cellar in which a Roman-style bathhouse was discovered. Masada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site Since 2001.