The Roman siege of Masada lasted only a few weeks, not years, archaeologists say

Researchers from the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University used a range of modern technologies, including drones, remote sensing and 3D digital modeling, to generate the first objective and quantified analysis of the Roman siege system at Masada. The results indicate that, contrary to popular legend, the siege of Masada by the Roman army in 73 CE lasted only a few weeks.

The study was conducted by the Neustadter Expedition of the Sonia & Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University, led by Dr. Guy Stiebel, in collaboration with Dr. Hai Ashkenazi (now head of geoinformatics at the Israel Antiquities Authority), and doctoral students Boaz Gross (Tel Aviv University and the Israel Institute of Archaeology) and Omer Ze’evi-Berger (now at the University of Bonn). The study is part of the expedition’s broader mission, which is implementing advanced tools and asking new questions, in an attempt to better understand what really happened at Masada.

The article is published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology.

Dr. Stiebel explains: “In 2017, my expedition renewed, on behalf of the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology at TAU, the excavations at Masada, a world-famous site that has been extensively explored since the early 19th century and throughout the 20th century. Our expedition poses several new questions and implements many innovative research tools that were not available to previous generations of archaeologists. In this way, we intend to gain new insights into what really happened there before, during, and after the Great Jewish Revolt.”

“As part of this vast project, we are paying particular attention to the surroundings of the site. We are using drones, remote sensing and aerial photography to collect precise, high-resolution data on Masada and its surroundings, with a focus on three aspects: the water systems, the paths leading to and from the palatial fortress and the Roman siege system.

“The information collected is used to build 3D digital models that provide us with a clear and precise image of the terrain concerned. In the current study, we focused on the siege system, which, thanks to its remote location and desert climate, is the best-preserved Roman siege system in the world.”

He adds: “For many years, the prevailing theory, now a modern myth, held that the Roman siege of Masada lasted three years and was a grueling affair. In recent decades, researchers have begun to question this notion, for a variety of reasons. In this study, the first of its kind, we examined the question using modern technologies that allow for precise objective measurements.”

The researchers used drones equipped with remote sensors that provided precise, high-resolution measurements of the height, width and length of all elements of the seating system. This data was used to build an accurate 3D digital model, allowing the volume of the structures and the time required to build them to be accurately calculated.

Dr. Ashkenazi continues: “There are reliable estimates of how much earth and stone a Roman soldier could move in a day. We also know that about 6,000 to 8,000 soldiers participated in the siege of Masada. So we were able to objectively calculate how long it took them to build the entire siege system – eight camps and a stone wall surrounding most of the site. We found that the construction took only about two weeks.”

“From ancient historical evidence, it is clear that once the assault ramp was completed, the Romans launched a brutal attack, eventually capturing the fortress in a matter of weeks at most. This leads us to the conclusion that the siege of Masada lasted only a few weeks.”

Dr. Stiebel says: “The story of Masada, the Great Jewish Revolt, the siege and the tragic end as recounted by Josephus, are all part of the Israeli DNA and the Zionist ethos, and are well known around the world. The length of the siege is a major element of this narrative, suggesting that the glorious Roman army had great difficulty in taking the fortress and crushing its defenders. For many years, it was assumed that the siege lasted three long years, but in recent decades, scholars have begun to question this unfounded belief.

“In our first-of-its-kind study, we used objective measurements and advanced technologies to clarify this question with the first scientific, data-driven answer. Based on our findings, we assert that the Roman siege of Masada lasted a few weeks at most. As empires throughout history have done, the Romans came, saw, and conquered, swiftly and brutally suppressing the uprising in this remote location.

“Our conclusion does not, however, diminish the importance of this historical event, and many puzzling questions remain to be explored. For example, why did the Romans go to such lengths to capture this remote and seemingly unimportant fortress?

“To answer this question and many others, we have launched a large, innovative project in and around Masada: collecting data and analyzing it in depth in the laboratories of the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology at TAU, in collaboration with other researchers, to finally shed new light on this old enigma: what really happened at Masada?”