Masada

Masada was Herod the Great's Mountain Fortress, built between 37 and 31 BC. In 68 AD Jewish Zealots in rebellion against Rome took refuge there and held out for years against Roman siege until 73 AD.

The mountain fortress visible from the road as we approached ... very desolate. Zoom-in on the mountain top fortress. I would hate to have to climb it. A model of the entire mountain fortress. A view of the cable car installation at the top of the mountain, as seen ... .... from the cable car house far bellow. A car approaches ... ... and enters the cable car house at the foot of the mountain. The view from the cable car as the car begins its ascent. Looking up the cables toward the top. It's a long ride up. Looking back down toward the cable car house and the other ground facilities. Ruins of Roman encampments are still visible all around the mountain. The Desert along the Dead Sea coast is utterly desolate. The upper-level cable car installation. The Israeli flag flying atop Masada. A view of the Dead Sea and the causeway across it into Jordanian territory. A view across the top of Masada ... the ruins of fortress structures visible. The quarry from which all the construction stones were taken. Fortress structures built atop the mountain. A fire pit in the ruins of the Fortress commander's quarters. Fragmented remains of plaster and paint-work on the walls. This paint work would have been commissioned by Herod. Model of Herod's Palace emplacements. The Dead Sea Desert as seen from the top of Masada. Roman encampment ruins, still visible from atop Masada. The Herodian storehouse ruins. Plaster walls here indicates that liquids were kept in this storehouse. Rich floor mosaic work remains visible in many of the palace buildings. Large water baths remain from Herodian period and the Zealot occupation. Smaller ritual baths would have been made and used by the Zealots. Heated Steam baths used by King Herod. This represented the height of Greek and Roman Technology. The Roman encampments at the foot of the ramp. Looking down on Herod's northern Palace. The Palace Model, on display above the palace itself. Long view toward the Northern end of the Dead Sea and the Qumran hills. Roman encampment ruins. Looking into the large water cistern. Looking toward the Herodian Palace. RevNeal, Carol, Weldon, and Bennie atop Masada. Remains of a Byzantine Church atop Masada. The siege ramp. Another view of the remains of the Roman's siege ramp. The breach point. A depiction of the siege tower. Southern Palace remains. The mosaics here are among the best preserved. Not quite a bathtub ... there were the ritual baths built by the Zealots. Another deep ritual bath. Looking across the top of Masada and down to the Dead sea. Heading down.