The Siege of Masada: The Truth Behind the Myth

This documentary offers a compelling reassessment of Masada, a romantic symbol and cornerstone of modern Israeli archaeology. While landmark excavations in the 1960s uncovered Herod the Great's grand palace-fortress and tragic traces of the Jewish Revolt, they often obscured the site's true historical reality. Above all, Masada was the stage for a brutally efficient display of Roman siege warfare. The investigation takes a critical look at the legendary mass suicide of the 960 Zealots. Now challenged by recent research, this iconic event appears to be a dramatic literary creation by the historian Josephus. By examining these ancient physical remains, the film reveals how ancient history and modern national mythmaking endlessly intersect on this famous rock.