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Though the fortress of Masada appears to be at the top of a
mountain, the highest point is actually at what the rest of us consider sea
level, owing to its proximity to the Dead Sea. King Herod, who reigned from
37 to 4 BC, was responsible for most of the building. A rather paranoid
leader, and rightly so, the King used technology that was state-of-the-art
at the time, creating a self-sustaining water system that could provide
ample supplies for drinking, cleaning, and even recreation.
The walls around the fortress were 6.5 meters wide and the defense system apparently included 37 towers, of which 27 have been identified. Here you can see the three tiers of round balconies overlooking the Dead Sea. |
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Masada has a later significance, as the last stand of a group of extremist Jews called the Zealots. These people, less than a thousand in number, withstood a two-year Roman siege from 66-67 AD. The remains shown at right are of one of the Roman encampments surrounding the fortress. Using slaves, the Romans built a path to a vulnerable place and breached the fortification. Rather than die at the hands of the Romans, the Zealots opted for mass suicide and homicide. Ten men were chosen to slay the others, and the last was to commit suicide. Pottery shards found in the castle bear witness to the story, as does the account given by two women and five children who survived by hiding in the water system. |
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The shoreline at the Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth, 400 meters (about 1300 feet) below sea level. It's 33% solids, and it's simply impossible to sink. You can sit up and read a newspaper in the water if you like. The waters themselves and the mud below are considered beneficial for the skin, and numerous spa resorts sit alongside its beaches. |
