A sweeping history the fortune seekers, adventurers, despots, and thieves who have ruthlessly endeavored to extract gold, diamonds, and other treasures from Africa and its people.Africa has been coveted for its rich natural resources ever since the era of the Pharaohs. In past centuries, it was the lure of gold, ivory, and slaves that drew merchant-adventurers and conquerors from afar. In modern times, the focus of attention is on oil, diamonds, and other rare earth minerals.In this vast and vivid panorama of history, Martin Meredith follows the fortunes of Africa over a period of 5,000 years. With compelling narrative, he traces the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and empires; the spread of Christianity and Islam; the enduring quest for gold and other riches; the exploits of explorers and missionaries; and the impact of European colonization. He examines, too, the fate of modern African states and concludes with a glimpse of their future.His cast of characters includes religious leaders, mining magnates, warlords, dictators, and many other legendary figures-among them Mansa Musa, ruler of the medieval Mali empire, said to be the richest man the world has ever known.

On the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert stands the ancient fortress of Masada. With a sheer drop of more than 400 metres to the western shore of the Dead Sea, the view from the top of the plateau would have been breath-taking. Yet, the silence of the ruins belies one of the most interesting episodes in Jewish history.While the first structures on Masada were apparently built by the Hasmonaean king, Alexander Jannaeus in the early 1 st century BC, most of the structures were constructed by Herod the Great during the latter half of that century. Having conquered Masada in 42 BC, Masada became a safe refuge for Herod and his family during their long struggle for power in Israel. Apart from being a fortress, Masada was also a pleasure palace for Herod. For instance, it was designed along the lines of a Roman villa, and several amphorae found in Masada’s storerooms had Latin inscriptions, indicating that they contained wine imported all the way from Italy. After the death of Herod in 4 BC, Masada became a military outpost, and housed a Roman garrison, presumably of auxiliary forces.

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An artist’s reconstruction of the desert fortress of Masada.In 66 AD, the first Jewish Revolt broke out. The most comprehensive record of this record can be found in Flavius Josephus’ The Jewish War.

According to Josephus, a group of Jewish zealots, the Sicarii succeeded in seizing Masada from the Romans in the winter of 66 AD. After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, Masada was filled up with refugees who escaped and were determined to continue the struggle against the Romans. Hence, Masada became a base for their raiding operations for the following two years. In the winter of 73/74 AD, the governor of Judaea, Flavius Silva, decided to conquer Masada and crush the resistance once and for all.Due to the desert conditions, the Roman siege installations, i.e. The camps, dike, and ramparts, have been fully preserved, and provide archaeologists with the evidence needed to reconstruct the development of the siege. When the walls of Masada were breached, the Sicarii realised that the fortress would soon fall into the hands of the Romans, and decided to do something quite unthinkable.

According to Josephus, one of their leaders, Eleazar spoke thus to the doomed defenders. Let our wives die before they are abused, and our children before they have tasted of slavery; and after we have slain them, let us bestow that glorious benefit upon one another mutually, and preserve ourselves in freedom, as an excellent funeral monument for us. But first let us destroy our money and the fortress by fire; for I am well assured that this will be a great grief to the Romans, that they shall not be able to seize upon our bodies, and shall fall of our wealth also; and let us spare nothing but our provisions; for they will be a testimonial when we are dead that we were not subdued for want of necessaries, but that, according to our original resolution, we have preferred death before slavery.(Josephus, The Jewish War, VII, 8.6)The defenders were persuaded by Eleazar’s speech, and a mass suicide soon followed.

(Some maintain that it was not suicide at all, which would have been against their beliefs, but rather they made an agreement to kill each other).Although one may question the accuracy of Josephus’ account of the siege of Masada (and one rightly should), this story has greater repercussions than one may expect. The decision taken by the defenders of Masada may be perceived from a symbolic point of view. On the one hand, the decision to commit suicide could be read as a fight to the bitter end against an implacable enemy, and the preferability of death over slavery. Hence, the defenders of Masada are seen as heroes. On the other hand, this decision may be regarded as the destruction brought against innocent people, especially women and children, through the refusal to compromise. Thus, the heroes are now seen as extremists.

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These different views matter, especially when they pertain to a nation, as the story of Masada has divided the people of Israel regarding their views of the country and its present policies. While the story of Masada is important to the people of Israel in the views it represents, other nations also have their own stories which define/divide the identity of its people. Regardless of the amount of truth in these stories, they will continue to have a place in the hearts of those who believe in them. Featured image: Masada. Photo source: UNESCO.orgByReferencesBen-Yehuda, N., 1995.

The Masada Myth: Collective Memory and Mythmaking in Israel. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press.Cockburn, P., 1997. Ancient Battle Divides Israel as Masada 'Myth' Unravels.

OnlineAvailable at:Accessed 12 April 2014.Eshel, H., 2009. Jerusalem: Carta.Sage Software, 2014. The Wars of the Jews Or The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, Book VII. OnlineAvailable at:Accessed 12 April 2014.UNESCO, 2014. OnlineAvailable at:Accessed 12 April 2014.Yadin, Y., 1966.

Masada: Herod's Frtress and the Zealots' Last Stand. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. A truly magical and awe-inspiring site.Beautiful in its own right it becomes more absorbing when you also know its history.I visited many years ago and the experience has always stayed with me. I had been obsessed with the story since learning of it at school and also after seeing a TV dramatisation.

I was also fascinated with the Dead Sea.Both are well worth visiting if you get the chance. The Dead Sea is like no place on Earth - unwordly and strange with blocks of salt floating like icebergs. Masada is stunning. I really felt like I was stepping into history.The most poignant part for me was gazing down at the still very obvious remains of the Roman camps, and particularly the ramp.Thanks for a great article and great pictures! At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings.