Two thousand years ago, 967 Jewish men, women, and children—the last holdouts of the revolt against Rome following the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple—reportedly took their own lives rather than surrender to the Roman army. This dramatic event, which took place on top of Masada, a barren and windswept mountain overlooking the Dead Sea, spawned a powerful story of Jewish resistance that came to symbolize the embattled modern State of Israel. The first extensive archaeological excavations of Masada began in the 1960s, and today the site draws visitors from around the world. And yet, because the mass suicide was recorded by only one ancient author—the Jewish historian Josephus—some scholars question if the event ever took place.
Jodi Magness, an archaeologist who has excavated at Masada, explains what happened there, how we know it, and how recent developments might change understandings of the story. Incorporating the latest findings, she integrates literary and historical sources to show what life was like for Jews under Roman rule during an era that witnessed the reign of Herod and Jesus’s ministry and death.
This is an engaging exploration of an ancient story that continues to grip the imagination today.
Awards and Recognition
- Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in History
"Filled with fascinating details; [Masada] is informative and judicious."—Glenn C. Altschuer, Jerusalem Post
"[Jodi Magness is] fascinating on the conflation of archaeology and nationalism in modern Israel’s use of the ‘Masada myth’."—Justin Marozzi, The Spectator
"Fascinating. . . . The overall high quality of [Masada] and its author’s personal acquaintance with both the archaeological and literary source material cannot be questioned."—Daniel Sugarman, Jewish Chronicle
"All those interested in [Masada], or planning a visit, will find their understanding enriched by [Magness’s] clear and readable guide."—Matti Friedman, Mosaic
"The appealing narrative launches itself in time-honoured fashion in medias res, with an account of the Roman siege that took place three years after the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70."—Claire Gruzelier, Classics for All Reviews
"Archaeologist Jodi Magness succeeds in producing a rewarding and stimulating book that is accessible and up to date."—Michaël Girardin, Bryn Mawr Classical Review
"Jodi Magness’s new book, Masada: From Jewish Revolt to Modern Myth, is an important contribution to our understanding of Masada and its historical context. Not only is it well-written, including personal experiences, her own research, and her association with the famous Israeli archeologists who supervised excavations at Masada; it also is a thorough presentation of what was discovered there, the historical period, and a comprehensive review of the literature and various theories about what happened there, and why. It is, therefore, an essential read."—Moshe Dann, The Jerusalem Report
"Jodi Magness takes her readers on a whistle-stop tour of the excavations [at Masada]."—Michael Squire, Greece and Rome
"[In Masada] Magness provides the reader with a panoptic overview of the context in which Masada was built, occupied and defended and draws together the latest archaeological research to elucidate the biography of the site itself . . . Magness . . . [gives] us a clear account integrating the latest scholarship with her intimate personal knowledge of the site. Her balanced and judicious tone throughout makes this book indispensable to anyone interested in understanding Masada’s contested past (and present)."—Gwyn Davies, Strata: Bulletin of the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society
"[Masada] will surely stimulate further discussion, at both the academic and popular level, on the archaeological evidence behind the myth as well as the general contribution of archaeology to our understanding of and relationship to cultural history."—Eyal Regev, Review of Biblical Literature
"[Magness'] balanced and judicious tone throughout makes this book indispensable to anyone interested in understanding Masada’s contested past (and present)."—Gwyn Davies, Strata
"[Magness is] a rare field archaeologist skilled in transforming technical findings into riveting and thoroughly readable historiography . . revealing why Masada has mattered to so many people throughout history and continues to do so today."—Karen B. Stern, American Journal of Archaeology
"Magness has managed the difficult feat of writing for both the scholar and the interested non-specialist reader."—Gila Wertheimer, Jewish Book Council
"[Masada is a] splendid book, which not only offers a cogent analysis of the controversy itself, but also furnishes a superb overview of both the Hasmonean and Herodian eras, a particularly tangled stretch of Jewish history . . .[Magness] expresses no firm opinion about whether Josephus is a trustworthy source of information about the siege of Masada – but instead is out to make accessible to the interested layperson not only the broader story of the fortress, but also the turbulent history of the two centuries that preceded the siege . . . Magness’ book is certain to be the ‘go to’ work about Masada for a long time to come."—David Rodman, Israel Affairs
"In 74 CE, 967 Jews on top of the rock fortress of Masada purportedly took their own lives rather than surrender to a Roman army. Their defiant self-sacrifice became a modern, nationalist rallying cry: 'Masada shall not fall again!' But what really happened at Masada during the great Jewish revolt against Rome, and what is the historical significance of Masada's fall? Jodi Magness, who directed excavations of the Roman siege works at Masada and is one of the preeminent archaeologists of the ancient Mediterranean world, has written a superb book about Masada, describing its physical setting and development, the history of the site's excavation, the story of the Roman siege, and the creation of Masada's hotly contested modern myth. It is a triumph of scholarship and accessibility."—Guy MacLean Rogers, author of Alexander: The Ambiguity of Greatness
“Internationally renowned archaeologist Jodi Magness plunges the reader directly into the story of the fall of Masada, unpacking the dramatic tale as told by Josephus. She also recounts the fascinating adventures and misadventures of the region’s explorers, from the nineteenth century through the 1960s, and compellingly describes the excavations there, including her own, providing a welcome tour of the site.”—Eric H. Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed
"Masada is the foremost archaeological site in Israel, the most spectacular and one of the most visited. No one knows the site or its wider contexts better than Jodi Magness. There are few archaeologists who could have pulled off the feat that she has accomplished in this book. It is a marvel of clarity and accessibility. Masada will be the indispensable companion to this site for the next fifty years."—Tessa Rajak, author of Josephus
