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The Myth of Masada: How Reliable Was Josephus, Anyway?

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Ruins of the Roman legion camp below Masada
Ruins of the Roman legion camp below Masada
Ruins of the Roman legion camp below Masada Credit: Dan Shachar / Shutterstock
Ruins of the Roman legion camp below Masada Credit: Dan Shachar / Shutterstock

The Roman siege of Masada ended in mass suicide by the trapped Jewish rebels. But absent archaeological evidence, it all boils down to the question of whether you think Josephus aspired to accuracy

Elon Gilad

After a protracted siege by the Roman tenth legion, the situation of the Sacarii, the Jewish rebels holed up on the mountain fortress of Masada, became hopeless. The Jewish rebels led by Elazar Ben Yair decided to kill themselves rather than be slaughtered, or fall captive and be enslaved by their enemies.

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