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Masada

Masada. We’re Romans, we only leave after we win. Masada today. Background . Romans tend to conquer peeps whom they view as threats. . . In 73-63 BCE they conquered Mithridates IV up in Asia Minor because he was harboring pirates! who threatened Roman shipping, and kidnapped peeps

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Masada

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  1. Masada We’re Romans, we only leave after we win

  2. Masada today

  3. Background • Romans tend to conquer peeps whom they view as threats. . . • In 73-63 BCE they conquered Mithridates IV up in Asia Minor because he was harboring pirates! who threatened Roman shipping, and kidnapped peeps • Their neighbors to the south were the Syrians. . . Pompey the Great (awesome not fat) annexed Syria in 63 BCE • While they were in the area, the Romans added Iudaea as a client kingdom

  4. Iudaea as a Client Kingdom • From 63-44 BCE there was uprising and chaos • In 44 Herod the Great (infamous for many things) gets to be king • Herod builds palaces at Masada from 37-31 BCE • Died in 4 BCE • Kingdom gets spilt between his 4 sons into tetrarchies (fourth parts) • Several of these sons / descendants ruled so badly that when the Jews complained to Rome, the tetrarchs were dismissed. . .

  5. Let’s make this a real Province • In 6 CE, this area was combined with Syria, and Idumea to make a big province also called Iudaea. • Several peeps ruled as legates or prefects, none for very long until. . . • Caligula puts Marcus Julius Agrippa I in charge as the new king (aka Herod Agrippa, aka Herod) in 41 CE • This Herod lasts 3 whole years until 44 • His son, also Marcus Julius Agrippa (II), rules from 44-48 CE, until the Romans get tired of this game

  6. Romans don’t like chaos • Sent in a governor who was also a legatus • In 66 CE there’s a dispute between the Greeks and Jews over religious stuff (birds & emperor worship) • Turned into riots over taxation – Jews attacked random Romans. . .big mistake • Riots got nasty • Agrippa II sent Legio XII Fulminata from Syria • Gaius Celestius Gallus was the legate, XII took several towns and killed about 12k • XII was ambushed, aquila taken. . .

  7. Oh Noes! • No longer irritated, now the Romans are angry • Nero dismissed Gallus & sent Vespasian to take over • Vespasian lands in 67 CE with 4 legions (70,000 troops) including Legio X Fretensis • By 68 Vespasian had subdued the north • At this point there are 2 major groups of rebel Jews: the Zealots and the Sicarii who don’t get along • In 69 Vespasian becomes emperor, leaves his son Titus behind in Iudaea to finish the job • Sicarii kill off the leaders of the Zealots

  8. Titus takes over • In 70 CE Titus begins the siege of Jerusalem • The Sicarii (Jews) burned all the food inside to force their peeps to fight and not surrender • People starved • Sicarii start heading for Masada • By mid-summer Titus sacked and burned Jerusalem • Titus goes home • Built the arch of Titus in Rome to commemorate the victory

  9. Some Sicarii run to Masada to hide Nifty, mountain top palace/fortification built and supplied by the Herods in case of revolt East side 1300’ drop, west 300’ Plus 12’ wall around the edge  and towers Gates all fortified One little trail that leads up to it Well-fortified with weapons, armor, food, rainwater retention Sicarii overran the small Roman garrison there Finally, Masada

  10. Sicarii • Named by the Romans for the daggers, sicae, they carried under their cloaks • Had been around awhile, one famous Sicarius was Judas • They killed Romans, followers of Herod, Jews who got along with Romans, and Jews who disagreed with them including the High Priest! • Masada was perfect for the Sicarii because they didn’t get along with anyone • Leader was Eleazar ben Ya’irwho had been in seige of Jerusalem and got away

  11. Masada • Jerusalem fell in 70 CE • Sicarii started going to Masada with their families • First they just hid there, then they started harassing the Romans • Romans meanwhile cleaning up little pockets of resistance elsewhere • 967 Sicarii were at Masada when the Romans finally came in late 72 CE to finish up

  12. Legio X Fretensis • Lucius Flavius Silva was the legatus of X and the Roman governor who established the siege • Romans built their camp, established control of all supply routes, built circumvallation wall to protect themselves, and began siege embankment to get up to the plateau • Ramp completed early in 73 and on April 16 the Romans breached the walls of the fortress with a battering ram

  13. OmnesPeriunt • When the Romans got inside everyone was already dead. . . . • Well, 960 of the 967 • Josepheus says that they wouldn’t have committed suicide because it was against Jewish law, so they obviously killed each other and only 1 guy had to commit suicide • No archaeological evidence of mass suicide has been found, only 30 skeletons • Point was to not be taken as prisoners

  14. Outcome • Romans lost approximately 20,000 soldiers, auxiliary troops, and citizens • Estimates of Jewish death total range from 200,000 to more than 1 million, with more than 90,000 taken as slaves • Jews were dispersed throughout the Empire to lessen their strength • Region of Iudaea remained under Roman control until 650 CE • In 1555, Pope Paul IV used the Arch of Titus to humiliate Roman Jews yearly

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