Masada - by Jodi Magness

About the Book

"Two 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."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

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 Empire

Two 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 Quotes

"[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

"[Masada] will surely stimulate further discussion, at both the academic and popular level, on the archaeological evidence behind the myth as well as the general contribution of archaeology to our understanding of and relationship to cultural history."---Eyal Regev, Review of Biblical Literature

"[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 of the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society

"[Jodi Magness is] fascinating on the conflation of archaeology and nationalism in modern Israel's use of the 'Masada myth'."---Justin Marozzi, The Spectator

"[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

"[Magness'] balanced and judicious tone throughout makes this book indispensable to anyone interested in understanding Masada's contested past (and present)."---Gwyn Davies, Strata

"All those interested in [Masada], or planning a visit, will find their understanding enriched by [Magness's] clear and readable guide."---Matti Friedman, Mosaic

"Archaeologist Jodi Magness succeeds in producing a rewarding and stimulating book that is accessible and up to date."---Michaël Girardin, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"Fascinating. . . . The overall high quality of [Masada] and its author's personal acquaintance with both the archaeological and literary source material cannot be questioned."---Daniel Sugarman, Jewish Chronicle

"Filled with fascinating details; [Masada] is informative and judicious."---Glenn C. Altschuler, Jerusalem Post

"Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in History"

"Jodi Magness takes her readers on a whistle-stop tour of the excavations [at Masada]."---Michael Squire, Greece and Rome

"Jodi Magness's new book, Masada: From Jewish Revolt to Modern Myth, is an important contribution to our understanding of Masada and its historical context. Not only is it well-written, including personal experiences, her own research, and her association with the famous Israeli archeologists who supervised excavations at Masada; it also is a thorough presentation of what was discovered there, the historical period, and a comprehensive review of the literature and various theories about what happened there, and why. It is, therefore, an essential read."---Moshe Dann, The Jerusalem Report

"Mag-ness has man-aged the dif-fi-cult feat of writ-ing for both the schol-ar and the inter-est-ed non-spe-cial-ist read-er."---Gila Wertheimer, Jewish Book Council

"Magness in her distinctive way has given us a wonderful presentation to supplement the huge literature on the archaeology of Masada. Her book is a perfect read for undergraduates, continuing education students, and the general reader."---Eric M. Meyers, Dead Sea Discoveries

"Magness vividly describes the archaeological evidence for life on the mountaintop [of Masada]."---Josephine Quinn, London Review of Books

"Magness's conversational style will inform and entertain both the general and specialist reader."---Lindsay Powell, Ancient History

"Persuasive."---James Romm, New York Review of Books

"The appealing narrative launches itself in time-honoured fashion in medias res, with an account of the Roman siege that took place three years after the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70."---Claire Gruzelier, Classics for All Reviews

"The best single volume for understanding [Masada's] remains in the context of both the first Jewish Revolt and the modern myth."---Michael Press, Palestine Exploration Quarterly

"This is a special book. . . . Masada is discussed from various angles in an enjoyable way."---Jan Willem van Henten, Journal for the Study of Judaism

About the Author

Jodi Magness is the Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her books include The Archaeology of the Holy Land from the Destruction of Solomon's Temple to the Muslim Conquest and Stone and Dung, Oil and Spit: Jewish Daily Life in the Time of Jesus. In 1995, Magness codirected excavations in the Roman siege works at Masada, and since 2011 she has directed excavations at Huqoq in Galilee.