Masada, which is located about 20 km east of Arad, Israel, is the site of an ancient palace and fortifications in the South District of Israel on top of an isolated rock plateau, on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea.

Masada (pronounced metzada), means “fortress” and it was put under siege by troops of the Roman Empire in 66 CE and eventually led to the mass suicide of the Sicarii rebels.

The cliffs on the east edge of Masada are about 1,300 feet (400 m) high and the cliffs on the west are about 300 feet (90 m) high and the natural approaches to the cliff top are very difficult.

The top of the plateau is flat and rhomboid-shaped, about 1,800 feet (550 m) by 900 feet (275 m).

There was a casemate wall around the top of the plateau totaling 4,300 feet (1.3 km) long and 12 feet (3.7 m) thick, with many towers, and the fortress included storehouses, barracks, an armory, the palace, and cisterns that were refilled by rainwater.

Three narrow, winding paths led from below up to fortified gates.