Majestic Masada. Just west of the Dead Sea, the mountain-plateau of Masada rises above the surrounding Judean Desert. Photo: Duby Tal/Albatross
Posted on 04/08/2020 8:10:56 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
In the late morning hours of December 29, 1924, a British pilot took off from Amman, Jordan... he soon reached the mountain-plateau site of Masada, where King Herod had built an elaborate palace-fortress. At precisely 11:15 A.M., the pilot began conducting a series of aerial photography sorties. Taken at the altitude of 4,500 feet, the images were immortalized on glass negatives, which were deposited several years later in the library of the Institute of Archaeology of University College London.
Having been granted access several years ago to this unique aerial photography collection, my (Stiebel’s) attention was drawn to a subterranean feature located at the very center of Masada’s northern sector, adjacent to the Byzantine church. A clear oblong shape indicated the existence of a human-made structure—one that was no longer discernible at Masada. That is because, some 45 years ago, this unnoticed and therefore unexcavated structure was covered by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA). As a result, this virgin soil had been perfectly conserved.
What was it? What was there that earlier excavations had missed?...
Our excavations of this feature revealed two Herodian water cisterns, next to which the Byzantine church had been erected. The southern cistern had been restored and re-plastered during the Byzantine period by the small community of monastic hermits who inhabited what would come to be known as the Laura of Marda (“Monastery of Masada”). The monastery’s foundation story comes to us via Cyril of Scythopolis, who mentions the arrival of Euthymius (“the Great”; 377–473 C.E.) and one of his students at the site of Marda, which is identified with the fortress of Masada; here they found a dry well, which they restored, and next to which they built a chapel...
(Excerpt) Read more at biblicalarchaeology.org ...
Majestic Masada. Just west of the Dead Sea, the mountain-plateau of Masada rises above the surrounding Judean Desert. Photo: Duby Tal/Albatross
Jews revive ancient synagogue
The Australian | May 25, 2004
Posted on 5/24/2004, 7:07:22 PM by Alouette
htt://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1141463/posts
I’ve had the privilege to personally visit Masada.
It is an absolutely amazing place.
As have I. Did you climb or take the cable car?
We went to Israel for my son’s bar mitzvoh.
My son and I climbed, and my wife and daughter took the car.
I’m glad we climbed. A couple of people in our group needed assistance - one of whom had no business trying the climb in the first place.
Unfortunate that the Biblical Archaeology Review has two biased authors using politically correct date terminology.
Masada is a very interesting place to visit.
I was there in summer of ‘98 and we took cable car up and walked down.
“ As have I. Did you climb or take the cable car?”
... both.
Cable car....too darn old to walk up there...LOL
What I did find quite amazing, was the “ramp” the Romans built to lay siege to the place. Also, the system for water was very interesting.
If I remember, the legion that built the ramp was recalled from Britannia to suppress the Bar Kokhbah rebellion. They spent ten years building that ramp by hand, until it was high enough for them to ascend to the summit. Of course, by then the occupants had all died. A pyrrhic victory for both sides.
Thanks all!
It's too bad trolls post that same stupid comment whenever a history or archaeology article written by Jews gets posted on FR.
They could use jewish dates - 4137-4233 or 377-473 AD instead of the C.E. crap.
Different 10th legion. The legion that surrounded Masada in 72 AD was Legion 10 Fretensis. It had been raised in 40 BC and was stationed in the Syria and Judea at the time. The Legion you are thinking of was also the 10th legion. It was raised in 61 BC by Julius Caesar and fought with him in Gaul and Britain. Disbanded 45, it was reconstituted a few years later as Legion 10 Gemina. That 10th Legion served in Spain until 70 AD, then was transferred to Rhine border in Holland. It was there at the time of Masada.
It took the Legion X Fretensis less than 6 months to build the ramp and reduce Masada.
If they used Jewish dates on the years, they would create a pointless need to translate every date from one calendar to the other. The use of C.E. is a reasonable compromise which actually incorporates the Christian calendar as a base, changing the label but not the years.
That was my whole point though, why can't the Biblical Archaeology Review just use the Christian calendar A.D. instead of the politically correct C.E. It's a pet peeve that although the years are the same, so called academics have to deny Christianity and change the label.
Thanks for the correction.
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