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.

The study, published in the esteemed Journal of Roman Archaeology, employed cutting-edge tools, including 3D software, remote-sensing drones, and other advanced technologies. This innovative approach allowed the research team, led by Dr. Guy Stiebel, to gain fresh insights into the Roman army's tactics and the siege's duration.

"While Masada has been extensively studied since the early 19th century, modern technology allows us to ask new questions and gain novel perspectives on three key areas: water systems, access routes, and the Roman siege apparatus," Dr. Stiebel explained.

The research has shed new light on the Roman military's siege tactics and timeframe. "For decades, it was widely accepted that the Masada siege was a prolonged, three-year ordeal," Dr. Stiebel noted. "Recent scholarship has begun to question this assertion, and our study is the first to apply objective, data-driven methods to this question."

Dr. Hai Ashkenazi, now heading the Geoinformatics Department at the Israel Antiquities Authority and a collaborator on the study, detailed their methodology: "We have reliable data on the daily earth-moving capacity of Roman soldiers. With an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 troops involved in the Masada siege, we calculated that constructing the entire siege system – eight camps and a surrounding stone wall – would have taken less than two weeks. Historical sources suggest that an assault, lasting a few weeks at most, would have followed immediately."

In an interview with Israel Hayom, Dr. Stiebel emphasized the importance of examining the evidence through a Roman, rather than Israeli, lens. "The Roman army's modus operandi favored swift, decisive action. All on-site evidence points to a short-lived siege," he stated.

Addressing why the Romans targeted Masada in 73 CE, three years after Jerusalem's fall, Dr. Stiebel explained its strategic importance: "While Masada might seem isolated, it was actually close to a vital Roman resource – the balsam groves of Ein Gedi. The perfume produced from these trees was the empire's most valuable commodity, filling Rome's coffers. Masada's rebels were raiding Ein Gedi, destroying these precious trees. This prompted Rome's complex logistical operation to neutralize the threat."

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."

The research was conducted by the Neustatler Masada Expedition under the auspices of Tel Aviv University's Institute of Archaeology. Dr. Stiebel led the team, collaborating with Dr. Ashkenazi, doctoral candidates Boaz Gross from Tel Aviv University and the Israel Institute of Archaeology, and Omer Zeevi, now affiliated with the University of Bonn.

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An archaeological survey in the northeast of the Binyamin Region conducted by the Martin Szuz Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University has turned up two rare coins at two adjacent sites.

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One coin, discovered at Khirbet Jabaat, dates back to the Jewish revolt against the Romans and was minted in the year 67 CE. One side of the coin bears a depiction of a grape leaf and the Hebrew inscription "Herut Zion" (Freedom for Zion), while the other side is imprinted with a cup and the inscription "Year Two." The coin is the latest Second Temple-Era find unearthed at this site, which includes mikvehs, secret tunnels, stone vessels, and burial caves.

The second coin, excavated at a site in the cliffs of Wadi Rashash, caused significant excitement among the archaeologists.

Dr. Dvir Raviv, who is directing the survey, explained that the coin was the first tangible evidence that the area in question had been under the administrative control of Bar Kochba, and might even testify to the existence of a Jewish community in the region until 134-135 CE, despite the prevailing belief that all Jewish communities to the north of Jerusalem were razed in the great revolt of the 7^th decade CE and never resurrected.

One side of the coin from Wadi Rashash, which is believed to have been minted in 134-135 CE, is imprinted with a palm frond surrounded by a wreath, which itself is surrounded by the Hebrew inscription "LeHerut Yerushalayim" (To the Liberation of Jerualem). The other side depicts musical instruments, possibly a harp, and the name "Shimon" – the first name of the leader of the revolt against the Romans, Shimon Ben Kosevah, better known as Shimon Bar Kochba.

The Binyamin Regional Council and the grassroots heritage preservation organization Shomrim al Hanetzach (Preserving Eternity) said in response to the discoveries that the area is full of archaeological remains and antiquities, which are being robbed and destroyed by local Arabs. The council and the organization called on the government to adopt a national emergency plan to save the sites.

Binyamin Regional Council chairman Yisrael Gantz said: "We have a national obligation to preserve these precious finds that tie us to this place. The Israeli government must take responsibility for its heritage and prevent ethno-religious robberies and vandalism."

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Archaeological excavations at Tel Ashkelon National Park have uncovered a 2,000-year-old Roman-era basilica, the largest of its kind found in Israel to date, as well as an ancient theater, that will soon be opened to visitors.

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In Roman times, public life revolved around the basilica (a Roman public building). Festivals, business and social gatherings took place there on a daily basis.

Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists Dr. Rachel Bar-Natan, Saar Ganor, and Federico Kobrin, who are directing the excavation, explained that the enormous building, which measures 115 by 34 meters (377 by 11 feet) had been built at the center of ancient Ashkelon.

Video: Yuli Schwartz/ Israel Antiquities Authority

"During the Roman Severan Dynasty, in the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, the building was renovated, marble architectural features were brought to the site and a small theater was added," they explained.

"Herodian coins discovered in the bedding of the structure's ancient floors show that it was built at the time of one of the greatest builders ever to have lived in the country. The writings of the historian Josephus [Flavius] mention Herod's construction in the city of Ashkelon and list fountains, a bathhouse and colonnaded halls. Today, based on the new archaeological evidence, we can understand the origins of the historical record," the archaeologists continued.

The basilica was divided into three parts – a central hall and two side halls, and the space was surrounded with rows of marble columns and capitals, which rose to an estimated height of 13 meters (42.5 feet) and supported the building's roof. The floor and walls were built of marble, which was imported from Asia Minor in merchant ships that reached the shores of Ashkelon.

Roughly 200 marble items weighing hundreds of tons have been found including dozens of column capitals with plant motifs were discovered, some bearing an eagle – the symbol of the Roman Empire.

The compound was excavated by the Israel Antiquities Authority with support from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the Ashkelon Municipality, and the Leon Levy Foundation and the site will be opened on completion of the development, conservation, and restoration work, which will include erecting the sculptures and marble columns discovered at the site.

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Kfar Nefach on the Golan Heights has recently been the subject of popular discussion thanks to a popular new drama series about the Yom Kippur War that airs on Channel 11. But last month, Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists excavating on the Golan discovered a rock that was inscribed with the name "Kfar Nefach" – in Greek – some 1,700 years ago.

The rock was dug up as part of preparations to lay a water pipeline. The Nefach-Kidmat Zvi pipeline is planned to serve as the main water supply for IDF bases on the Golan Heights, as well to the town of Katzrin.

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Students from the Maayan Baruch and Kela-Alon pre-military academies and local volunteers took part in the dig that uncovered the rock carved with Greek letters. It had been used to cover a grave. Dr. Danny Syon of the IAA and Professor Haim Ben David of Kinneret Academic College decoded the writing.

"The inscription, which mentions the name Kfar Nefach, was carved into a rock used as a boundary marker. These stones were carved in the time of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, around 300 CE, on the borders of villages for tax purposes. This is the first boundary market from the central Golan Heights that bears a name that has survived until today. Nefach was the name of the Syrian village that was here until the Six-Day War, and the name of the IDF's Camp Nefach, which is still here," the researchers said.

According to researchers, names usually survived thanks to continued settlement that preserves them from one generation to another. However, they said, no such continuous population existed at Nefach, which was unpopulated from the Byzantium era, 1,500 years ago, until the modern era, with the exception of the Mamluk period in the 13^th to 15^th centuries CE.

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