MASS SUICIDE IN 73 A.D.

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27628, 7 April 1955, Page 11

MASS SUICIDE IN 73 A.D.

History Verified by Archaeologists

LONDON, April 4. The legend of 960 besieged men, women and cb ;i • n who 73 years after the birth chose to comit mass si; 1J „* rather ’ than accept lavery, has been verified by excavations by Israeli archaeologists, states Reuter's correspondent in Tel Aviv.

The story of the Masada Fortress on the western shores of the Red Sea where Herod had his palace is told by an historian, Flavius, in his account of the wars of the Jews. He described how a Roipan general besieged 960 Jewish zealots who had taken refuge in the fortress.

When they realised that their position was desperate they all offered their necks to the stroke of those who had, by lot, been chosen to execute that melancholy office. The one who remained at the end set fire to the fortress and “ran his sword entirely through himself,” wrote Flavius.

The Israel archaeological expedition reported: “Flavius’s description has been verified on the spot.” The leader of the expedition said: “The whole structure in three parts represents palace as described by Flavius and his description has been verified on the spot, although not all the details seem to correspond.”