Home > Online Magazine > Online Magazine: Edition 53 - July-August 2013 > The Masada Theory (by Craig Louwen)
The Masada Theory
by Craig Louwen
The Masada Theory - What are two different theories about Masada?
Masada, Israel was a fort created by Herod the Great. It would later fall to a group called the
History of Masada
Masada is a massive fortified tower. On the eastern side the cliffs are 400 meters high and on the east 91 meters. Alexander Jannaeus fortified the site of Masada in roughly the first century BC, however Herod the Great would later capture it. It would survive against the siege of Antigonus who was a Parthian king. The next siege however, it would fall. According to Murphy-O'Connor his archaeological guide says that the Sicarri overcame the Romans who were given the duty to guard the fort. It was here that the Sicarri would live for a number of years before the Romans attacked them.
Josephus (see Appendix 2.1)
Josephus was a young Jew who initially fought in the first Jewish war. After being captured by Vespasian, Josephus went to Rome as a hostage and interpreter. Vespasian would later free him after he became the Roman Emperor. Josephus would later become a translator of Vespasian's sun Titus as he led his troops to Siege Jerusalem. Josephus would become a Jewish first century historian. Some of his work would include the Siege of Masada, however some of his writings may be seen as Roman propaganda as he was serving the Romans at the time.
Josephus Theory
Josephus theory can be found his book titled 'The Jewish War'. According to Josephus theory, the Sicarri, a group of Jewish rebels, had overtaken the Romans at Masada in approx. 66 AD. After successfully living atop the fort for 6 years, Roman governor Lucius Flavius Silvia led the X Fretenis (a Roman Legion) to fight and destroy the Sicarri and all those with them. Josephus account from his book 'The Jewish War'says that Eleazar, the leader of the Sicarri made a speech. It was through this speech that he influenced all of the Sicarri fathers to go and kill their families. Josephus says 'for the husbands tenderly embraced their wives, and took their children into their arms, and gave the longest parting kisses to the, with tears in their eyes. Yet at the same time did they complete what they had resolved on, as if they had be executed by the hands of strangers, and they had nothing else for their comfort but the necessity they were in of doing this execution to avoid that prospect that they had of the miseries they were to suffer from their enemies.' Josephus is clearly writing this as if he is saddened or he was feeling for the Sicarri. Later, through the orders of Eleazar 'they chose ten men by lot out of them, to slay all the rest…' '…and when these ten had, without fear, slain them all, they made the same rule for casting lots for themselves, that he whose lot it was should kill the other nine, and after all, should kill himself. Accordingly, all these had courage sufficient to be no way behind one another in doing or suffering…' (For full extract see appendix 3.1) Josephus also later tells that the Romans were expecting a battle in the morning so they put on their armor and laid all of their planks and ladders over the walls of the fort. When they did lay siege to the fortress they did not find any opposition, they found no one at all. All they saw was a fire that had been lit to hide who the Sicarri were. They let out a yell to see if there were any survivors, it was by this that two women and three children were found. They had been hiding in underground caverns so that they would survive. It is through these women that Josephus and the world would learn what happened atop Masada on that frightful night. The final ten men had also set fire to the fort, only not burning the food storehouses to show that they lived in perfect living standards and capabilities but they chose to die and not become slaves.
Yigael Yadin (see Appendix 4.1)
Yigael Yadin was an Israeli archaeologist, politician and Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces. Yadin was born in 1917, however it wasn't until 1952 that Yadin became and archaeologist. In 1956 Yadin received the Israel Prize in Jewish Studies for his thesis on the translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls. He would later excavate sites including the Qumran Caves, Hazor, Tel Megiddo, Tel Gezer and Masada.
Yadin's Theory
Yigael Yadin's theory is quite the opposite to Josephus telling of the events at Masada. Through the excavation of the site at Masada, Yadin created a theory that of which is that the Sicarri actually fought against the Roman legion. Yadin created this theory to change the Israeli perception on their history. To create a hero that he believed that the country needed, so that they would not be in fear of current and future political challenges. Unlike Josephus theory that has many pieces of evidence that supports his theory, Yadin's is based on only a small amount of evidence.
Summary
Around the world, it is viewed that the most correct theory is that of Josephus. Josephus being a primary source as well as being a Jew himself would not have written inaccuracies that would downgrade the Israelites. Josephus also has a greater amount of evidence that supports his theory compared to that of Yadin.
But for what actually happened on that fateful night, we'll never know. Did the Sicarri go down swords in hands fighting the Romans or whether the Romans came over that wall with no opposition, only flames and bodies. Only time, study, technology and new discoveries, we can hope will give us the answer.
APPENDIX
1.1 This image depicts the genius of the infrastructure. Hot steam would be directed under the floor in order to heat them on the cooler days and nights.
1.2 The Roman Siege ramp was made in order for the Romans to ascend to Masada. This is on the Eastern cliffs.
2.1 This is said to be the face of Josephus. Portrayed in the Roman styled side shot of the face.
3.1 Full extract of text from Josephus 'The Jewish War'
Now as Eleazar was proceeding on in his exhortations, they all cut him off short, and made haste to do the work, as full of an unconquerable ardor of mind, and moved with a demoniacal fury. So they went their ways, as one still endeavoring to be before another, and as thinking that this eagerness would be a demonstration of their courage and good conduct, if they could avoid appearing in the last class; so great was the zeal they were in to slay their wives and children, and themselves also! Nor, indeed, when they came to the work itself, did their courage fail them, as one might imagine it would have done, but they then held fast the same resolution, without wavering, which they had upon the hearing of Eleazar's speech, while yet every one of them still retained the natural passion of love to themselves and their families, because the reasoning they went upon appeared to them to be very just, even with regard to those that were dearest to them; for the husbands tenderly embraced their wives, and took their children into their arms, and gave the longest parting kisses to them, with tears in their eyes. Yet at the same time did they complete what they had resolved on, as if they had been executed by the hands of strangers, and they had nothing else for their comfort but the necessity they were in of doing this execution to avoid that prospect they had of the miseries they were to suffer from their enemies. Nor was there at length any one of these men found that scrupled to act their part in this terrible execution, but every one of them dispatched his dearest relations. Miserable men indeed were they, whose distress forced them to slay their own wives and children with their own hands, as the lightest of those evils that were before them. So they being not able to bear the grief they were under for what they had done any longer, and esteeming it an injury to those they had slain to live even the shortest space of time after them,-they presently laid all they had in a heap, and set fire to it. They then chose ten men by lot out of them, to slay all the rest; every one of whom laid himself down by his wife and children on the ground, and threw his arms about them, and they offered their necks to the stroke of those who by lot executed that melancholy office; and when these ten had, without fear, slain them all, they made the same rule for casting lots for themselves, that he whose lot it was should first kill the other nine, and after all, should kill himself. Accordingly, all these had courage sufficient to be no way behind one another in doing or suffering; so, for a conclusion, the nine offered their necks to the executioner, and he who was the last of all took a view of all the other bodies, lest perchance some or other among so many that were slain should want his assistance to be quite dispatched; and when he perceived that they were all slain, he set fire to the palace, and with the great force of his hands ran his sword entirely through himself, and fell down dead near to his own relations. So these people died with this intention, that they would leave not so much as one soul among them all alive to be subject to the Romans. Yet there was an ancient woman, and another who was of kin to Eleazar, and superior to most women in prudence and learning, with five children, who had concealed themselves in caverns under ground, and had carried water thither for their drink, and were hidden there when the rest were intent upon the slaughter of one another. Those others were nine hundred and sixty in number, the women and children being withal included in that computation. This calamitous slaughter was made on the fifteenth day of the month Xanthicus [Nisan].
Now for the Romans, they expected that they should be fought in the morning, when accordingly they put on their armor, and laid bridges of planks upon their ladders from their banks, to make an assault upon the fortress, which they did, but saw nobody as an enemy, but a terrible solitude on every side, with a fire within the place as well as a perfect silence So they were at a loss to guess at what had happened. At length they made a shout, as if it had been at a blow given by the battering-ram, to try whether they could bring anyone out that was within; the women heard this noise, and came out of their underground cavern, and informed the Romans what had been done, as it was done, and the second of them clearly described all both what was said and what was done, and the manner of it: yet they did not easily give their attention to such a desperate undertaking, and did not believe it could be as they said; they also attempted to put the fire out, and quickly cutting themselves a way through it, they came within the palace, and so met with the multitude of the slain, but could take no pleasure in the fact, though it were done to their enemies. Nor could they do other than wonder at the courage of their resolution and the immovable contempt of death, which so great a number of them had shown, when they went through with such an action as that was.
4.1 Yigael Yadin, the Israeli archeologist who excavated the site at Masada and also created the theory of the Sicarri actually fighting against the Romans.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
UNESCO World Heriatge Centre. Masada. 2011. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1040/ (accessed March 18, 2013).
The Siege of Masada. Performed by History Channel.
Encyclopaedia Judacia. Zealots and the Sicarii. 2013. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0021_0_21428.html (accessed March 17, 2013).
Israel Ministry of Foriegn Affairs. Masada - Desert Fortress Overlooking the Dead Sea. 2008. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/Early%20History%20-%20Archaeology/Masada%20-%20Desert%20Fortress%20Overlooking%20the%20Dead%20Sea (accessed March 18 2013).
Josephus, Flavious. The War of the Jews. Vol. 7.
Last Name, First Name. Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet. City: Publisher, Date.
Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome. The Holy Land. , New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Telushkin, Joseph. Masada. 2013. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/masada.html (accessed March 19, 2013).
This article is Copyright © 2013 by Craig M Louwen. Used by permission.
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