today’s birthday: Jesus (c. 4 BCE)

Jesus (c. 4 BCE)

The primary sources for the life and teachings of Jesus—the central figure of Christianity—are the Gospels, but references to his life also appear in the works of non-Christian writers of antiquity, including Tacitus, Suetonius, Pliny the Younger, and Josephus. Most scholars agree that Jesus was born just before the death of King Herod the Great in 4 BCE. The earliest extant reference to December 25 as Jesus’ birthday is in the Philocalian Calendar of Rome in 336 CE. What was Jesus’ surname? More… Discuss

Masada

Masada is a mountaintop fortress in Israel. According to the ancient historian Josephus, it was fortified by Herod the Great in the 1st century BCE. In 66 CE, at the beginning of the Jewish uprising against the Romans, a group of rebels captured Masada. They retained control of the fortress until 73 CE, when, besieged by the Romans, they committed mass suicide rather than surrender. Excavated in the 1950s and 60s, Masada is now a major tourist attraction. How do visitors reach the top of Masada? More… Discuss

Related articles

• Masada
• From Paris, with sand: La Traviata opera rocks desert fortress
• Masada
• Masada, tragic fortress in the sky
• THE MASADA SIEGE:The Roman Assault on Herod’s Desert Fortress