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Masada is located on the edge of the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea Valley. Masada is 1300 metre high upon the east cliff and a 300 feet high cliff in the west. The plateau on the top is of a rhomboid-shaped and flat. It was once described as a “steep snake path” as it was difficult to climb.

The main cause of the Jewish Roman war the fact that money was needed. In 66, Nero ordered Gessius Florus to confiscate the money from the temple treasure. This made the Governor angry and because the soldiers couldn’t find the culprits so he got some passers-by and crucified them. The real reason for the war was the slavery the Jews had suffered. The Jews had to pay money which was spent on Italy and its border. Judea had become poor and many villagers were forced to sell their land.

The Sicarri are Jewish Rebels considered to an extremist group to the Jewish Zealots who attempted to expel the Romans from Judaea. Sometimes the Sicarii were known to spare their opponent and let them go for things such as bribes. They are described upon Josephus’s account and described by him as well. According to Josephus, King Herod the Great fortified Masada between 37 to 31BC as a place of refuge incase of a revolt. After King Herods rule in Masada the Zealots took over which were one of the Jewish tribes. When the Zealots realized the Romans were going to take over they all committed suicide. Josephus is a 1st-century Jewish historian and apologist of priestly and royal ancestry and a scholar, who survived and recorded the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70. He made certain remarks upon what different groups there were during the revolts, which include the Zealots, the Sicarii and the Romans.

Yigael Yadin was an Israeli archeologist, politician, and the second Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. Yigael Yadin was one of the first archaeologists to cover the Masada area and detail the remains of the battle. He also discovered two mikvaot, a synagogue used by Masada’s defenders and 25 skeletons of men, women, and children.

Lucius Flavius Silva was a late-1st century Roman general, governor of the province of Judaea and consul. He brought many strategies and tactics on Masada. He had failed several times to break through the walls of the fortress. Lucius Flavius Silva had found a successful way breaching through the walls was the fact that they built a battering ram, pulled it up the mountain and broke through on the Western Wall. The huge ramp built still survives today in Masada. Archaeologists had found several large circular shape stones that were probably used as ammunition by the Romans. They also discovered walls which kept the sacraii’s from escaping.

ckhoury1 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:17:41 +0000

evidence

ckhoury1 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:19:10 +0000

1.) What perspective is represented in Josephus’ reconstruction of what happen at Masada? The perspective which was represented in Josephus’ reconstruction of the events in Masada was that the accounts which Josephus had wrote were one sided accounts and biased towards the Jewish people. Josephus was a Jew himself, but used his one-sided account to the Roman Emperor to prevent his death by the Romans. He had written under his book “The War of the Jews” that the Jews committed suicide, with the Jewish leader Elazar ben Yair ordering the Jews to kill each other. 2.) What perspective does Yadin offer? Yadin had thought that the Jews had battled the Masada war to the end, as his archaeology studying found very important evidence. Yadin had found two adult skeletons and one child skeleton within the Masada fortress, which he believed were Jewish skeletons. Yadin commemorated these bodies, with a full burial in the Masada site with military honours in 1969. 3.) What purposes can you identify in the reconstruction of Josephus and Yadin? The purposes I can identify in the two reconstructions from Josephus and Yadin was the historians had a different perspective of what had happened. Josephus believed that the Jews had died before the war, whilst Yadin believed the Jews fought the Romans till death. With these two different accounts it creates confusion between people on what happen in Masada. In this case these people did not have enough evidence to what they were referring to. 4.)How are their respective audiences involved? The respective audiences are involved is they have questioned both Historians accounts of Masada, they believe Josephus was bias with his accounts to support himself. Yadin was questioned because of the evidence of the bodies he has found, to believe were Jewish and not Roman. 5.)How have both Josephus and Yadin selected and omitted sources? Josephus and Yadin have selected and lost sources; firstly Josephus used everything based on his opinions not using any evidence which was actually found in the site. He had been completely against the Jews so that he could survive from being killed by the Romans. Yadin went too quickly in his conclusions with the evidence he had found before doing complete study and research on them.

Fact & Opinion Questions

ckhoury1 — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:47:36 +0000

1. Using examples (modern or Ancient), discuss the difference between ‘fact’ and opinion’.

A fact is something that is something to do without dispute which is basically a straight forward question, for example a fact would be Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44BC.An opinion would be something like a personal belief with no sufficient evidence. An example of this would be Why Julius Caesar die.

2. What factors affect the objectivity of authors of written sources?

The factors are “bias”, ”gender bias” and “one sided accounts”.

3. What is gender bias? How has it manifested itself in the reporting of history over the millenia? Give three examples of gender bias? Is it still a problem today in historiography?

Gender bias is when it is written by one gender. In ancient times, it was only written by men so we only have the male perspective of life back then and not the females as females were not educated as the men were. Examples of gender bias is written may be Gadinier and the description of Hatsheput the Egyptian Female Pharaoh of Egypt. He gave her a negative image. Gender bias is still a problem in today’s society.

Who is Josephus? When did he live? What did he write about? How have modern authors ‘deconstructed’ Josephus’ accounts? Do they consider him biased and Why? Lastly, is his Bellum Judaicumuseful as a source for the Jewish Revolt?

Josephus, was a 1st century Jewish historian and apologist of priestly and royal ancestry who survived and recorded the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70. He lived from 37 until sometime after 100 AD. He wrote about the Jewish War. Antiquities of the Jews recounts the history of the world from a Jewish point of view. These works provide a valuable insight into the background of 1st century Judaism and early Christianity. Raymond F. Surburg considers him to be bias because Josephus’s accounts “tend to give the word a pro-Roman bias”.

ckhoury1 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:22:49 +0000

1.) The Parthenon was built to honor which Greek Goddess?

The Parthenon was built to honor the Greek goddess Athena

2.) Where on the Parthenon is the marble Frieze located?

They are located on the top half of the main columns, which supported the building.

3.) When and how did the Parthenon come to lie in ruins?

The Parthenon came to lie in ruins in 1684. it was blown up during a war between Venice and the ottoman empire.

4.) Who was Lord Elgin and what did he do to sections of the frieze?

Lord Elgin was the British ambassador to the Ottomans. Elgin believed that the Ottomans had given him permission to ship sections of the marbles back to England.

5.) Why do some claim Elgin was the vandal?

Elgin had cut the pieces smaller as they were easier to transport to England .

6.) Why does the British museum claim legal title to the frieze?

According to the British the friezes were not stolen and they had given them permission to leave Greece. This according to the BM is sufficient legal entitlement.

7.) How much of the original frieze still stands in Athens?

Approximately, 50% of the original frieze that survived today and of that 25% about of that are in London and the other half in Athens.

8.) What is the opinion of the Greek archaeologist on the matter?

frieze itself portrays an important religious procession, its believed that all surviving pieces should be shown together.

9.) How does the BM suggest they could resolve the ‘complicated’ situation?

They suggested to fill in the gaps of the Athenian frieze so the audience get a rough idea of what the original piece looks like.

10.) What is your stance on the returning of the frieze to Athens? Do you agree that it should remain permanently in the BM except for loan periods?

I personally believe that the frieze should be returned to Greece as it is sacred to them. They should also fill the gaps of the frieze as it was used for religious reasons.

Macchu Picchu

ckhoury1 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:21:04 +0000

1) Where is Machu Picchu?

Macchu Picchu is located in Peru. Macchu Picchu is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba valley.

2) The site was left to ruin in the 16^th century until 1911

3) Who discovered the site and when?

An explorer Hiram Bingham a Yale Professor had stumbled across the site in 1911.

4) For which university was he working?

Hiram Bingham was a Yale Professor.

5) What did he find?Hiram Bingham had found many silver statues, jewelry and human remains.

6) In which museum are the finds located?

The finds are located in Yale’s Peabody’s museum

7) What is the debate surrounding these finds?

The debate surroundings of these find are that the artifacts belong to the Peruvians.

8) Why the legal action?

Legal action had to be taken to see whether the finds belong to the Peruvians or the Yale museum.

9) According to the spokesman from the Museum, why can there be problems if artifacts are returned too quickly?

If they are returning it too quickly the museum is not doing its duty of honoring and preserving the artifacts, they also have to be sure that they are going to where they belong.

10) What has been the resolution of this ‘treasure war’ and why does this mean so much to the people of Peru?

Yale had returned most of the objects following a completion of a traveling exhibition sponsored by Yale and the Peruvian government.

This means much to the Peruvian people as their history is returned to them and they will guard their long lost treasure.

ckhoury1 — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:30:11 +0000

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