Masada, the musical saga, is based on a legend from long ago. A legend of fighting for freedom. Masada, meaning 'mountain fortress', is a mountain in Israel standing tall by the Dead Sea. Although a legend, it is believed that in its last years of usage in the year 73 A.D., Masada was defended by Jews in the Roman occupied Israel. They defended the untakeable fortress while the Romans, craving total victory, built a ramp to enable them to take control. Even before the morning the Romans planned to storm Masada, the Jews saw themselves faced with two choices - to be or not to be free. They decided that rather then becoming slaves at the hands of the Romans, they would die as free men and women. During the night, all but a small handful of women and children committed the ultimate act of resistance to slavery -- suicide. History of Masada Reaching for the skies, Masada was in its early days, between the 10th and 7th century B.C., used as ground for temples. In the first century B.C., during the reign of King Herod the Great, Masada was upgraded to a luxurious fortress. King Herod was well aware of the threat posed by the mighty forces of the Egyptians under the rule of Cleopatra as well as that of the former Hasmonian dynasty, and planned to use Masada as a refuge in the event of attacks. The choice to use the great mountain was easy. A natural fortress, it is separated from the mountain range by two deep gorges, with sheer cliffs on all sides making it almost impossible to capture, even when defended by a less than average force of archers and stone throwers. King Herod ruled between the years 37 B.C. to approximately 4 B.C. At his death, Masada was captured and turned into a Roman garrison. It remained as such until 66 A.D. In that year Titus, the son of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, conquered Jerusalem, slaughtering thousands of Jews, and capturing many would end their days as slaves. Those who managed to escape, surprised the garrison on Masada and took control of the mountain. The people of Masada were Zealots, a group known for strong sentiments and fierce determination. A total of 960 men, women and children remained on Masada, even after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 B.C. Rome had delusions of grandeur, and was determined to seek out and destroy any and all resistance from the Jews. In 72 B.C., the Roman General, Flavius Silva, led the 10th Legion in an attempt to capture the stronghold. The nearly fifteen thousand soldiers surrounded the mountain in eight siege camps and built a wall around the base of the mountain to try to prevent any attempts at escape. The initial strategy of starving the Zealots failed. The ingenious systems developed by the people of Masada enabled them to collect and store the little rain that fell, and they shared their food with each other. When Silva realized that it would take a very long time to starve the people, he changed his strategy. Aided by thousands of slaves, the Romans began building a giant ramp on the western side of the mountain that would enable them to storm the fortress. During the eight months it took to build the 300 foot (over 90 meters) high ramp, the Zealots' efforts to use bows and throw rocks didn't stop the Romans. They were helpless to do anything but watch their doom approaching. Through the strong leadership under the great warrior, Eleazar Ben-Ya'ir, the people of Masada kept morale high, and went on with their everyday tasks. They educated their children and joined in prayers. In 73 A.D., as the ramp was nearing completion, the Romans began building a battering ram. The Zealots now realized that they were going to come face to face with the Roman army knowing their fate would be death, or to live as slaves and whores to their Roman captors. Firm in his own belief, Eleazar convinced the people that as long as they were free, they were one with God, whether they are alive or dead. They picked out ten men who would kill the others. Lying family by family, the Zealots were freed from the Roman threat. Among the ten people left, one killed the other nine and before he committed suicide he set fire to the four corners of the fortress. A few women and children who hid themselves were the only survivors of the suicide. Masada was excavated in 1955 and 1956 during an expedition sponsored by the Israeli Department of Antiquities, the Israel Exploration Society and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A second joint expedition, led by professor Yigael Yadin, excavated and restored 97 percent of the site from 1963 to 1965. A national symbol Today, Masada serves as a tourist attraction and an Israeli national symbol. It is the most visited of all archaeological sites in Israel and one of the most popular climbs. It can be reached from two directions -- either from the Dead Sea in the east, via the original and steep "snake path," or from the west on a path built from the old Roman ramp, offering an easier climb or a cable car to ease the ascent. Although the event is recorded in only one historical source, its story has become both a heroic symbol to the State of Israel and a shrine honored by generations of Zionists and Israeli soldiers. It is a symbol of freedom and independence. Recruits to the Israel Defense Forces Armored Unit swear the Oath of Allegiance in an annual ceremony on its summit. Their defiant cry: "Masada will never fall again". The buildings on Masada When it was constructed under the rule of King Herod, Masada turned from just a plateau with temples into a luxurious mountain resort with steam baths, water cisterns, guard towers, weapons and food warehouses for possible refuge. During the excavations, surrounding the 20-acre plateau were two large palaces, administrative buildings, storehouses and a Roman bathhouse. The largest building was a western palace that served as Herod's principal residence. The northern side contained Herod's private three-tiered palace/villa, which had been built directly on the edge of the cliff. Also uncovered at Masada were two multicolored mosaics -- the earliest of their kind yet discovered in the Holy Land. Great cisterns were also discovered. They had been cut from the side of the rock and were supplied with water by an intricate system of aquaducts. The Zealots themselves had constructed several buildings, a synagogue, a religion school room and two ritual baths. Also found were pottery, coins, cloth and weapons. References for the above: Links will come here soon!