| Name |
Views and Comments | Date |
| Al |
The years are wrong. Jerusalem fell in 70 AD. All the dates in the article should be changed to AD or CE |
11/10/2008 |
| ben |
This is exactly what was foretold by Jesus in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. Read it and realize that GOD allowed this to happen as an example and witness of His power and glory. Let your heart be not deceived, this event was the "abomination of desolation" spoken of by Daniel the prophet of the Most High and continues as a legacy to His supreme will. GOD told His true followers who worship Him in spirit and in truth the warning signs to get out of Judea and flee to the mountains because His wrath was going to be unleashed on that wicked city, and it's people would be burned up. The surrounding of the city and the great blunder of Gallus let GOD's people know the time was at hand, to flee. He gave them the way out by Gallus' leaving of the city, which also hardened the hearts of the Jews and allowed GOD to destroy them when they refused to surrender to the Romans offer of peace, because these devil possessed lunatics thought they could defeat the army of Rome under Titus. Great article! |
9/3/2008 |
| Gideon Rix |
i was very impressed by this detailed and pasionate report, however, i was wondering if you would publish a report on the Ba;cochba rebellion, which was apparently more successful |
12/2/2005 |
| jay3270@comcast |
What is the name of the movie about Masada? Great article!!
Thank you,
James |
7/27/2004 |
| sonal |
Dear Ami,
Thank you for reading my article, and for taking the time to reply. I've been fascinated by the history of the Jewish people for quite a while now – but this instance I reached Jerusalem via Rome, because I'm researching Ancient Rome for a book. Yes, I've read Josephus's account of the war, and the article about the discovery of the pottery lots. I also read an interesting article by Nachman Ben-Yehuda of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem – you can read it here - http://www.bibleinterp.com/articles/masadamyth1.htm
As with all things, there are always different view points regarding history – there is a saying 'History is written by the victors' and in most cases this is true – Josephus, for example, wrote an account that wouldn't be found unpalatable by his Roman friends. He refers to Eleazar Ben-Yair as a 'tyrant' and describes the Sicarii as terrorists who had been evicted from Jerusalem by the Moderates and who slew over seven hundred defenseless Jews in the city of Ein-Gedi near Masada. So, while his account does give a pretty clear and chilling picture of the events, we would have had a more balanced view perhaps if there had been other extant accounts .
The mass suicide is not improbable – there was quite a tradition of that actually in ancient times, particularly against the Romans – take the city of Xanthus in Asia Minor – when it came under the siege of the 'Liberators' (Brutus, Cassius) the Xanthian men killed their women and children, threw their bodies on burning pyres, and then climbed into the pyres themselves. Suicide, like you mentioned, was preferable to falling into Roman hands – which would mean execution, torture, or being sold into slavery.
Possibly the reason for any lack of skeletal evidence at the Masada might be the fire that the defenders started, and any remainders the Romans might have cremated. Just a thought.
Thank you again for your views.
Regards,
Sonal Panse
|
5/5/2004 |
| Ami Levy |
OK, i just recently (maybe a week ago) started learning Masada and the Jewish Revolt in depth. I have started reading Josephus. And, being Jewish AND knowing a lot about my religion (also being religious) I can tell you why believing that nearly 1000 Jews commited suicide is easy.
There are a few situations in the Jewish religion that God says you can breaka, but he will forgive. True, suicide is one of the biggest sins, and comminting suicide prevents you from goign to heavan. But this is what we call in hebrew death for Kiddush HaShem, or a holy act done in the name of God.
For example, there is an ancient Jewish saying that says, "If you know a man is coming to kill you, wake up and hour earlier and kill him." Obviously, this saying can no longer apply to today, but as you can see, God tries to save the lives of the innocent, using death ONLY as a last resort. Under other circumstances, death is punishable by death. But there is more.
Another example, Jews can only have sexual relations with other Jews. And in the Holocause, there was a story of how around 90 girls KNEW they were going to be raped by the Nazis that weer guarding the camp, for they we sent in a seperate room and told to wait. So instead of being defiled and going against God, the 90 girls found poison and killed themselves. This type of suicide is, once again, a LAST RESORT. In Judaism, there are only 3 acts taht murder is forgivable.
Another example, like I said, you allowed to kill a man to save your own life. But, you are NOT allowed to kill some one to save SOME ONE ELSES life. That is not allowed. Also, you are NOT allowed to kill some one to save your own life.
The Jews on Masada we're very brave. Not only we're they the last remaining fortress still free even 2 years AFTER the revolt was lost, but these were the Zealots who STARTED the revolt. So being caught by the Romans meant no mercy; death was certain. In a world where freedom wasn't even a thought in anyone's mind, you have a handful of Jews crying to the world, "Freedom!" If you read Josephus' The Jewish War, and read the account on Masada, not only is it accurate, you have Eleazar ben Ya'ir (Zealot leader of Masada) speech to the Jews as the Romans advanced.Now, don't think to yourrself that these Jews killed themselves out of fear when they saw teh first Roman soldier come to Masada. The Jews tried every method of defense to hold back the Romans. Not only was there the entire Tenth Legion, but you had nearly 100,000 Jewish prisoners, in chains, building Romans their camps, and eventually the Roman Ramp. But these weren't random prisoners. Both these prisoners AND the Jews on Masada were from the siege on Jerusalem. There wasn't one person on Masada who didn't know one of the prisoners. Why didn't the prisoners rebel? The Romans had family members of the prisoners as hostages.
So when the Ramp was close to compeltion, the Jews had a choice. The shoot the Jewish prisoners, which to them was not even an option, to wait for the Romans, have everyone captured, and as Eleazar said "I cannot give such an order, but this as a suggestion........but I cannot imagine anyhting worse than to have my sons carried out before me and torteud and screaming "Father!" and me not being able to do anything, being tied to rope." Any father who heard that broke on the spot. Eleazar did not give the order, but everyone took it upon themselves to save themselves, their children, and wives (Eleazar said, "Let our women's bodies not be defiled.") in the name of God.
Now, what each man did was go home, burn all there possesions ("So the Romans may not enjoy from it"), then slit the throat of his wife and children. Those who did not have the heart to do it had some one else to it for them. When only the men were left, all the men gathered together. They wrote each one's name on pottery, and used them as lots (lottery). When some one's name was drawn, some one sliced his throat, cutting the same vain used to kill a kosher animal, so it was fast and virtually pain free. When everyone was dead and there was only one man left, he took his own life. So, in reality, there was only one suicide on Masada. but the other "murders" were for Kiddush HaShem. Archaeologists have found many pieces of the pottery-lots, including the one with Eleazar ben Ya'ir's (the leader) name.
Now, how do we know all this? Where does Josephus get this from? Two women and about 5 children, scared for their lives, hid in the water cisterns, and winessed everything. They were tortured and Josephus asked to interview them, and this is how we know.
And now you know, in short, what really happened on top of Masada.
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5/3/2004 |
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