Masada is shorthand for describing a sort of "they'll never take us alive" attitude. The term "Masada complex" is part of a modern-day Israeli parlance. The story of the siege that took place here has been adopted as a symbol for the modern Jewish state. Israeli school-children visit the area as part of their curriculum and some Israeli Defense Force (IDF) units hold their swearing-in ceremonies here, replete with the oath that "Masada shall not fall again".

A free-standing, sheer-sided plateau high above the Dead Sea, Masada (in Hebrew, Metzuda, meaning Stronghold) was fortified sometime between 103 and 76 B.C. before passing into the hands of Herod the Great in 43 B.C. He saw the fortress as a potential refuge in the event of either a Jewish revolt or trouble from Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. He beefed up the defenses with a casement wall and towers, and added barracks, arsenals and storehouses. To make sure any enforced retreat would not be suffered in discomfort, he added two luxurious palaces complete with swimming pools. After all that work, Herod died of natural causes in 4 A.D. without needing to use his desert hideaway. In 66 A.D. the Jews rose up against the Romans in what's known as the First Revolt. A group called the Zealots captured the lightly guarded Masada, which became a sanctuary for fleeing Jews. After four years the uprising was finally suppressed and the Romans returned their attention to the mountain-top stronghold.

The sole account of what happened next comes from the chronicles of Flavius Joesphus, a 1^stcentury historian and not a man to let the truth stand in the way of a good story. Under the command of Flavius Silva the Romans set up 15,000 men in eight camps around the base of the mountain and using Jewish slave labor, began building an enormous earthen ramp up to the fortress walls.

Inside the walls, the defenders of Masada numbered 967 men, women and children with enough food and water to last them for months.Once the ramp was complete, the Romans brought up their siege engines and prepared to breach the fortress. It's at this point, according to Josephus, that the Zealots began to set fire to their homes and all their possessions to prevent them falling into Roman hands. With that done, 10 men were chosen by lots and given the task of killing all of the others. Nine of the 10 were then executed by their companion before finally he despatched himself. When the Romans broke through they found alive just two women and five children who had survived by hiding. The mass suicide of Masada worked the end of the Jewish presence in Palestine.

Byzantine monks occupied the site during the 4^th and 5^th centuries after which Masada faded into legend. It was rediscovered in the early 19^th century; in 1838 it was seen from En Gedi and correctly identified and in 1842 it was climbed for the first time. It wasn't, however, until 1963 that a major investigation was undertaken during which the site was excavated, preserved and partially rebuilt.

There are two hiking routes from the base to the top of Masada plus a cable car option. The easiest path is the Roman Ramp but this starts on the west side of the mountain, a 30 minute walk from where the buses stop. Instead, most people opt to climb the steeper and longer switchback Snake Path. Starting across from the cable car station this route is hard-going and, depending on how fit you are, the stagger to the top takes anything from 30 minutes to over an hour. Be aware that coming down can be as hard, if not harder, than going up. The cable car operates daily from 8 am with the last descent at 4 pm (Friday 2 pm). The one-way fare is 14 NIS (students 8 NIS) and a return ticket is 25 NIS (14 NIS).

Don't forget to pack some water before you start out, even though there is drinking water available on the summit. The heat really gets going by about 10 am, so the earlier you set off, the better. The sunrise over Jordan and the Dead Sea can be fantastic and it's well worth setting your alarm so that you're in time to view it from the summit.

This site is open daily from sunrise to about nightfall. Admission is 13 NIS (students 8.90 NIS).

Masada isn't mentioned by name in the Bible.