Editing Masada (section)

== Phases and layout ==
[[File:Masada BW A.JPG|thumb|upright|Model of the northern palace]]
An example of Herodian architecture, Masada was the first site Herod the Great fortified after he gained control of his kingdom.<ref>Roller, Duane W. The Building Program of Herod the Great/ Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1998.</ref>

=== Phase I: Western Palace etc. ===
The first of three building phases completed by Herod began in 35 BCE. During the first phase the Western Palace was built, along with three smaller palaces, a storeroom, and army barracks. Three [[columbarium]] towers and a swimming pool at the south end of the site were also completed during this building phase.<ref name="Ehud">Netzer, Ehud. ''The Palaces of the Hasmoneans and Herod the Great.'' Jerusalem: Yed Ben-Zvi Press and The Israel Exploration Society, 2001.</ref>

The original center of the Western Palace was square and was accessed through an open courtyard on the northwest corner of the building. The courtyard was the central room of the Western Palace and directed visitors into a [[portico]], used as a reception area for visitors. Visitors were then led to a throne room. Off the throne room was a corridor used by the king, with a private dressing room, which also had another entrance way that connected to the courtyard through the mosaic room. The mosaic room contained steps that led to a second floor with separate bedrooms for the king and queen.<ref name="Ehud"/>

=== Phase II: Northern Palace etc. ===
The second building phase in 25 BCE included an addition to the Western Palace, a large storage complex for food, and the Northern Palace. The Northern Palace is one of Herod's more lavish palace-fortresses, and was built on the hilltop on the north side of Masada and continues two levels down, over the end of the cliffs. The upper terrace of the Northern Palace included living quarters for the king and a semicircular portico to provide a view of the area. A stairway on the west side led down to the middle terrace that was a decorative circular reception hall. The lower terrace was also for receptions and banquets. It was enclosed on all four sides with porticos and included a Roman bathhouse.<ref name="Ehud"/>

=== Phase III: casemate wall etc. ===
In 15 BCE, during the third and final building phase, the entire site of Masada—except for the Northern Palace—was enclosed by a [[casemate]] wall, which consisted of a double wall with a space between that was divided into rooms by perpendicular walls; these were used as living chambers for the soldiers and as extra storage space. The Western Palace was also extended for a third time to include more rooms for the servants and their duties.<ref>Yadin, Yigael. ''Masada: Herod's Fortress and the Zealots' Last Stand.'' London, 1966.</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2"| Site Plan
|-
| [[File:Map of Masada.svg|700px]] ||width="700" style="vertical-align:top;"|
# Snake Path gate
# Rebel dwellings 
# Byzantine monastic cave 
# eastern water cistern 
# rebel dwellings 
# [[mikvah]] 
# southern gate 
# rebel dwellings 
# southern water cistern 
# southern fort 
# swimming pool 
# small palace 
# round ''[[columbarium]]'' tower 
# mosaic workshop 
# small palace
# small palace 
# stepped pool<ref name="OConnor"/><ref name="Yadin"/>
# Western Palace: service area
# Western Palace: residential area
# Western Palace: storerooms
# Western Palace: administrative area
# tanners' tower
# western Byzantine gate
# columbarium towers
# synagogue
# Byzantine church
# barracks
# Northern complex: grand residence
# Northern complex: quarry
# Northern complex: commandant's headquarters
# Northern complex: tower
# Northern complex: administration building
# Northern complex: gate
# Northern complex: storerooms
# Northern complex: bathhouse
# Northern complex: water gate
# Northern Palace: upper terrace
# Northern Palace: middle terrace
# Northern Palace: lower terrace

A.&nbsp;ostraca cache found in casemate
B.&nbsp;Herod's throne room
C.&nbsp;colorful mosaic
D.&nbsp;Roman breaching point
E.&nbsp;coin cache found
F.&nbsp;ostraca cache found
G.&nbsp;three skeletons found
|}