Masada Essay
The Problems with Reconstructing the Events that Took Place at Masada
Samantha Taylor
Through a number of sources including Flavius Josephus, archaeological evidence, and modern historian Nachmann ben Yehuda1, we have gained a sufficient amount of information on the events which took place at Masada, however many problems in reconstructing these events have arisen. Problems with Josephus’ account include that he had a one sided view of the Romans, he was not an eyewitness, and the how his event conflicts with the evidence found at Masada. Archaeological evidence found at the sight was excavated by patriot archaeologists who sought to propagate and create an identity for their young nation, thus making the dig with a one sided view. Finally, through analysing modern historian, Nachmann ben Yehuda’s interpretations of Josephus’ account and the archaeological remains, we are able to put together and educated account of the events that took place at Masada.
Josephus, despite being our only contemporary source, presents many problems in reconstructing the events that took place at Masada. These problems include his one sided view of the romans, the complication that he was not an eyewitness, and the tension between his account and what the evidence found at Masada suggests. Josephus was once a rebel himself however surrendered to the Romans and devoted himself to Roman general, and future emperor Vespasian. Because of this, Jews of his time and even today view him as a traitor. Vespasian was charmed by him and appointed him to record the war’s progress. This meant that Josephus inflated and focused on the Roman’s powers and efficiency, and seemingly admired their organisation. Josephus’ pro Roman accounts can be clearly seen when he describes the attack on Masada “Just as fire broke out a gust of wind from the north alarmed the Romans: its blew back the flame… and drove it in their faces… then all of a sudden if by divine providence the wind swung around… God was
Samantha Taylor
Through a number of sources including Flavius Josephus, archaeological evidence, and modern historian Nachmann ben Yehuda1, we have gained a sufficient amount of information on the events which took place at Masada, however many problems in reconstructing these events have arisen. Problems with Josephus’ account include that he had a one sided view of the Romans, he was not an eyewitness, and the how his event conflicts with the evidence found at Masada. Archaeological evidence found at the sight was excavated by patriot archaeologists who sought to propagate and create an identity for their young nation, thus making the dig with a one sided view. Finally, through analysing modern historian, Nachmann ben Yehuda’s interpretations of Josephus’ account and the archaeological remains, we are able to put together and educated account of the events that took place at Masada.
Josephus, despite being our only contemporary source, presents many problems in reconstructing the events that took place at Masada. These problems include his one sided view of the romans, the complication that he was not an eyewitness, and the tension between his account and what the evidence found at Masada suggests. Josephus was once a rebel himself however surrendered to the Romans and devoted himself to Roman general, and future emperor Vespasian. Because of this, Jews of his time and even today view him as a traitor. Vespasian was charmed by him and appointed him to record the war’s progress. This meant that Josephus inflated and focused on the Roman’s powers and efficiency, and seemingly admired their organisation. Josephus’ pro Roman accounts can be clearly seen when he describes the attack on Masada “Just as fire broke out a gust of wind from the north alarmed the Romans: its blew back the flame… and drove it in their faces… then all of a sudden if by divine providence the wind swung around… God was
Bibliography: J. Telushkin, Jewish Literacy, New York, 1991 Josephus, The Jewish War, VII Nachmann ben Yehuda, Sacrificing Truth: Archaeology & the Masada Myth, Prometheus Books, 2002 Yigael Yadin, Masada, Welcome Rain, New York, 1966