Masada: Ruins of Fortress

‎The ruins of the southern fortress at Masada seen from the air at the very edge of the bare cliff, 450 meters above the Dead Sea, whose western shore is seen in the background. The Hasmoneans built the fortress here because of its geographical location, and Herod later continued and fortified it even more for the same reason. The dramatic story of Masada, which was adopted by the Zionist movement in the 30s as a symbol of heroism and self-sacrifice, appears in Flavius’ book. In the year 73 A.D., after withstanding a siege for three years, led by El’azar ben Yair, 960 zealots committed suicide together to avoid being taken into captivity by the Romans. Thus ended the last battle of the zealots—followed by total destruction.