Siege of Masada
73 CE · Israel
The Siege of Masada was fought in 73 CE in Israel between Roman Empire vs the Sicarii rebels; Roman victory; according to Josephus the defenders killed themselves rather than surrender.
Siege of Masada: quick facts
- Date
- 73 CE
- Location
- Israel
- Belligerents
- Roman Empire vs the Sicarii rebels
- Commanders
- Lucius Flavius Silva vs Eleazar ben Ya'ir
- Result
- Roman victory; according to Josephus the defenders killed themselves rather than surrender.
- Era
- 🏺 Ancient Greece & Rome
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at the Siege of Masada?
After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, nearly a thousand Jewish Zealots held out atop the seemingly impregnable desert fortress of Masada for three years. The Roman Tenth Legion besieged them, building an enormous earth ramp up the cliff face. When the Romans finally breached the walls, they found that the defenders had chosen to take their own lives rather than be enslaved. Masada became an enduring symbol of resistance and determination.
Did you know?
The Roman siege ramp at Masada, built by Jewish slaves, still stands today and is one of the best-preserved Roman military structures in the world.
Sources and further reading
- Siege of Masada on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.