Infamous 3-Year Roman Siege may have Last Just a Few Weeks

Thursday, September 05, 2024

A groundbreaking archaeological study has upended the long-held belief that the Roman siege of Masada lasted three years. Using advanced technology and a fresh analytical approach, Tel Aviv University researchers now conclude that the famous standoff likely lasted only a few weeks, challenging a cornerstone of Israeli national mythology.

Posted by Doc_sarvis at 12:30 PM | 13 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Nachman Ben-Yehauda's The Masada Myth: Collective Memory and Mythmaking in Israel (www.amazon.com) may be a bit dated by now, but it remains a fascinating account of how a group's creation story may be informed by a (mis)understanding of the past. That condition is a widespread one - you will find it well represented just about everywhere - it isdefinitely an impediment to rational thinking.

#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-09-04 12:32 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Good article read... and I never knew perfume from local trees there were Rome's biggest moneymaker.

"Dr. Stiebel concluded:

"The Masada narrative " the rebellion, siege, and tragic end " is deeply ingrained in Israeli identity and Zionist history. While our findings suggest a much shorter siege, they do not diminish the event's historical significance."

#2 | Posted by Corky at 2024-09-04 01:22 PM | Reply

CORKY
That bit about the balm provided what was, for me, a new element to the tale. Very practical, very Roman.

#3 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-09-04 04:44 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

This article is clearly antisemitic. /s

#4 | Posted by qcp at 2024-09-05 08:31 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

Building the circumvallation and siege ramp alone wouldn't take years, but that's a 2-3 month process.

#5 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-09-05 03:13 PM | Reply

Building the circumvallation and siege ramp alone wouldn't take years, but that's a 2-3 month process.

#5 | Posted by sitzkrieg

Sunomata Castle in Japan was almost built overnight by Hideyoshi Kinoshita and crew.

I don't think it would take 2-3 months with a large crew.

#6 | Posted by Sycophant at 2024-09-05 03:24 PM | Reply

I honestly find it hard to believe any ancient siege lasted years. It just doesn't seem viable.

Look at the World War II sieges in Russia, those were not truly sieges as they were not fully cut off and yet even with supplies the Russians barely held out until their army had both the troops and weapons to fight the Germans. Leningrad (St. Petersburg) was under siege for 2 years. There were supplies being brought in the whole time over the lake and yet they faced starvation and there were hundreds of cases of prosecuted cannibalism. Surprisingly few based on the population though.

#7 | Posted by GalaxiePete at 2024-09-05 03:50 PM | Reply

Speaking of ancient builders...

Ancient Humans Built A Bridge Inside A Cave In Spain Nearly 6,000 Years Ago: Study
The ancient bridge is made of large, heavy limestone blocks, some of which span 4.2 feet across.

www.ndtv.com

#8 | Posted by Corky at 2024-09-05 04:38 PM | Reply

- I think

This has never been demonstrated, ever.

#10 | Posted by Corky at 2024-09-05 10:20 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Archimedes heard of sieges like this and said hold my wine..

#11 | Posted by Tor at 2024-09-05 10:47 PM | Reply

#6 this is a very different Beast than that. You have to move a lot of rock to build that ramp. Roman armies we're great because the soldiers were also construction workers but eight to 12 weeks is pretty reasonable for the amount of work they did for that project. You still have to have a perimeter, patrols, forage parties Etc so you can't throw all of your Manpower at it at once and we know about how many Romans were there.

Certainly not a multi-year deal but not a two-week deal either.

#12 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-09-06 07:04 AM | Reply

We have learned that Bible Time was different from current Time.

In the Bible billions of years were compressed into 7 days. So in this biblical story 3 years to them seems like only weeks or months to us?

It has to do with the expansion of the space time continuum. As the universe expands the perception of time changes as the space itself expands. Remember everything is relative and so as the expansion of space speeds up and approaches the speed of light time will eventually slow down and stop.

Or maybe it's the other way around. All we do know is that's it all Timey Whimey and Wibbley Wobbley stuff.

#13 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-09-06 11:26 AM | Reply

Some of the archaeologists' numbers may deviate somewhat from the reality of the situation at Masada, but they do seem to have made their point: forget the idea of a years'-long siege. Ancient Rome was a roaring powerhouse at the time of Masada, and disruptions were simply not tolerated. (Check out the Arch of Titus in Rome, which commemorates the crushing of civil disturbance around that time and in that same general place.). The Masada story has been distorted by a need by some to add to the Israel foundation story and the reaction of others to that ahistorical approach to history. That aside, the Romans were well-practiced, efficient, and devastating in their military engineering.

#14 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2024-09-06 02:54 PM | Reply