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Gamla
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Gamla (Hebrew ???? Gamla or Gamala), a site inhabited since the Early Bronze Age, became the capital of the Jewish Golan from 87 BCE to 68 CE when it was sacked by the Romans. Its remains can still be seen in the Golan Heights.
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Gamla (Hebrew ???? Gamla or Gamala), a site inhabited since the Early Bronze Age, became the capital of the Jewish Golan from 87 BCE to 68 CE when it was sacked by the Romans. Its remains can still be seen in the Golan Heights. The name Gamla is derived from the word gamal, meaning 'camel', as it is situated on a hill shaped like a camel's hump. It was excavated and identified by a group of amateur Israel archeologists, among them, Shmarya Gutmann and Gal Itzhaki, after the 1967 Six Day War.
The city appears to have been a Seleucid fort (2nd century BCE) which later became a civilian settlement. Jews inhabited it from the last quarter of the 2nd century BCE, and under the Hasmonean ruler Alexander Jannaeus in c. 81 BCE was annexed to the Hasmonean state.
Josephus Flavius was the Commander of Galilee during the Jewish Revolt against Rome and in 66 CE fortified Gamla as his main stronghold on the Golan (Antiquities of the Jews 13:394).
He gives a very detailed topographical description of the city and describes the Roman siege under the command of Vespasian which led to its conquest in 67 CE, by the Legion X Fretensis.
The Romans attempted to take the city by means of a siege ramp, but were repulsed by the defenders; only on the second attempt did they succeed in penetrating the fortifications and conquering the city.
According to Josephus, some 4,000 inhabitants were slaughtered, while 5,000 others, while trying to escape down the steep northern slope, were either trampled to death or fell, perhaps threw themselves, down a ravine (Josephus, The Jewish War IV, 1-83).There is reason to believe that Josephus exaggerated the numbers. The notion that these inhabitants committed mass-suicide has been questioned, since the account appears to force an analogy with the story of the end of the siege of Masada, also recounted by Josephus. The Greek word Josephus used implies a hasty, clumsy flight. Suicide is forbidden under most circumstances by Jewish law.
One of the questions most often raised regarding the site concerns why no human remains have been found there. A tentative answer is discussed by Danny Syon at the linked website.
Present-day Gamla
Today Gamla is an archaeological site and a nature reserve. It is also home to a large nest of Griffon vultures.
See also
General sources
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