The Fortress at Masada
Reproduced by permission from Jesus and His World by John J Rousseau and Rami Arav © Augsberg Fortress 1995
After the fall of Jerusalem, many Jewish rebels fled to the fortress atop the Rock of Masada. The Roman army followed and surrounded the hilltop fortress with a siege bank(A), six feet thick and over two miles long, fortified by towers every 60 to 80 yards. The large camp in the north-west corner(B) was the headquarters of the Roman commander, Silva. The other camps outside of the wall included a large compound on the east side (C) and two guard posts (D) to watch for those attempting escape from the fortress. The four smaller camps (E) integrated into the wall (E) could house up to five hundred Roman soldiers. The merchants which followed the Roman legions chose an area close to the headquarters (F) for their houses and brothels.