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Masada: From Jewish Revolt to Modern Myth
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About Masada: From Jewish Revolt To Modern Myth
Product Description A new account of the famous site and story of the last stand of a group of Jewish rebels who held out against the Roman EmpireTwo thousand years ago, 967 Jewish men, women, and children―the last holdouts of the revolt against Rome following the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple―reportedly took their own lives rather than surrender to the Roman army. This dramatic event, which took place on top of Masada, a barren and windswept mountain overlooking the Dead Sea, spawned a powerful story of Jewish resistance that came to symbolize the embattled modern State of Israel. The first extensive archaeological excavations of Masada began in the 1960s, and today the site draws visitors from around the world. And yet, because the mass suicide was recorded by only one ancient author―the Jewish historian Josephus―some scholars question if the event ever took place.Jodi Magness, an archaeologist who has excavated at Masada, explains what happened there, how we know it, and how recent developments might change understandings of the story. Incorporating the latest findings, she integrates literary and historical sources to show what life was like for Jews under Roman rule during an era that witnessed the reign of Herod and Jesus’s ministry and death.Featuring numerous illustrations, this is an engaging exploration of an ancient story that continues to grip the imagination today. Review "All those interested in [Masada], or planning a visit, will find their understanding enriched by [Magness’s] clear and readable guide." ---Matti Friedman, Mosaic "[Magness'] balanced and judicious tone throughout makes this book indispensable to anyone interested in understanding Masada’s contested past (and present)." ---Gwyn Davies, Strata "Jodi Magness takes her readers on a whistle-stop tour of the excavations [at Masada]." ---Michael Squire, Greece and Rome "Filled with fascinating details; [ Masada] is informative and judicious." ---Glenn C. Altschuler, Jerusalem Post "[Jodi Magness is] fascinating on the conflation of archaeology and nationalism in modern Israel’s use of the ‘Masada myth’." ---Justin Marozzi, The Spectator "Archaeologist Jodi Magness succeeds in producing a rewarding and stimulating book that is accessible and up to date." ---Michaël Girardin, Bryn Mawr Classical Review " [Masada is a] splendid book, which not only offers a cogent analysis of the controversy itself, but also furnishes a superb overview of both the Hasmonean and Herodian eras, a particularly tangled stretch of Jewish history . . .[Magness] expresses no firm opinion about whether Josephus is a trustworthy source of information about the siege of Masada – but instead is out to make accessible to the interested layperson not only the broader story of the fortress, but also the turbulent history of the two centuries that preceded the siege . . . Magness’ book is certain to be the ‘go to’ work about Masada for a long time to come." ---David Rodman, Israel Affairs "Magness’s conversational style will inform and entertain both the general and specialist reader." ---Lindsay Powell, Ancient History "[Magness is] a rare field archaeologist skilled in transforming technical findings into riveting and thoroughly readable historiography . . revealing why Masada has mattered to so many people throughout history and continues to do so today." ---Karen B. Stern, American Journal of Archaeology "[In Masada] Magness provides the reader with a panoptic overview of the context in which Masada was built, occupied and defended and draws together the latest archaeological research to elucidate the biography of the site itself . . . Magness . . . [gives] us a clear account integrating the latest scholarship with her intimate personal knowledge of the site. Her balanced and judicious tone throughout makes this book indispensable to anyone interested in understanding Masada’s contested past (and present)." ---Gwyn Davies, Strata: Bulletin
