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1.The current, modern day location of the Masada fortification remains in
southern Israel. The main features of the area and specifically Masada are
comprised of large elevations, which ultimately lead to flat plateaus at the
summit. Masada itself is 400 meters high and the top plateau is a
rhomboid feature, with disproportionate opposing sides. During the time
of the first Jewish war with Rome the plateau was fortified with heavy
stonewalls which casemated barracks, an armory and cisterns that held
large amounts of rainwater.
2.Roman occupation when looking from a general perspective is comprised
of tolerance and acceptance into the Empire. Prior to the establishment
and expansion to the empire many large civilizations had collapsed on the
basis of internal conflict within a certain occupied land. Roman scholars
and historians learned from such fallen empires and advised their leaders
accordingly. When Rome established Judea or Iudaea as a province in 6
CE they attempted to establish relations with the people rather than
estranging themselves from them.
3.In 66, the Roman emperor Nero needed money, and ordered his
representative in Judaea, Gessius Florus, to confiscate it from the Temple
treasure. The governor was not amused when some Jewish jokers passed
the hat round for 'our poor procurator Flours' Flavius Josephus, Jewish
War, 2.295. He demanded their punishment, but when his policemen could
not find the mockers, he had some passersby arrested and crucified.
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the involvement of governor Albinus with criminal gangs
the removal of rights of Jews in Caesarea
the pollution of the synagogue of Caesarea
the murder of High Priest Jonathan
the murder of High Priest Ananias
the refusal to sacrifice to the Emperor
the Fourth Philosophy that held divine assistance would come to a rebellion:
"the infection which spread from them among the younger sort, who became
zealous for it, brought the public to destruction."
the criminal acts and abuse of authority on the part of governor Gessius
Florus
http://members.aol.com/FLJOSEPHUS/causesOfWar.htm
4. the sicarii where a group of Jewish rebels who usually killed there
enemies by using a dagger. They were like assassins moving threw the
crowd towards there victim & would stab them with a dagger & then slip
back into the crowd without being followed or knowing that they did it.
During the siege of Masada the Sicarii were the main enemies & challenge
to the Romans.
5. Masada (Hebrew for fortress), is situated atop an isolated rock cliff at
the western end of the Judean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. It is a
place of gaunt and majestic beauty.
On the east the rock falls in a sheer drop of about 450 meters to the Dead
Sea (the lowest point on earth, some 400 m. below sea level) and in the west
it stands about 100 meters above the surrounding terrain. The natural
approaches to the cliff top are very difficult. The only written source about
Masada is Josephus Flavius’ The Jewish War. Born Joseph Ben Matityahu
of a priestly family, he was a young leader at the outbreak of the Great
Jewish Rebellion against Rome (66 CE) when he was appointed governor
of Galilee. He managed to survive the suicide pact of the last defenders of
Jode fat and surrendered to Vespasian (who shortly thereafter was
proclaimed emperor) – events he described in detail. Calling himself
Josephus Flavius, he became a Roman citizen and a successful historian.
Moral judgment aside, his accounts have been proved largely accurate.
6. Josephus, who introduced himself in Greek as "Iosepos (Ιώσηπος), son
of Matthias, an ethnic Jew, a priest from Jerusalem",[4] fought the
Romans in the First Jewish-Roman War of 66-73 as a Jewish military
leader in Galilee. After the Jewish garrison of Yodfat was taken under
siege, the Romans invaded, killing thousands, and the remaining survivors
who had managed to elude the forces committed suicide. However, in
circumstances that are somewhat unclear, Josephus and one of his soldiers
surrendered to the Roman forces invading Galilee in July 67. He became a
prisoner and provided the Romans with intelligence on the ongoing revolt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus
7. Yigael Yadin was one of the first archaeologists to cover the Masada area and
detail the remains of the battle that had once taken place there. Following the
War of Independence in 1949 Masada flew the Israeli flag. In 1952 Yigael Yadin,
who had been a commander of IDF forces in the 1948-1949 war, left the army
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus