Writing of Memory History on Masada Symbol: Interpretation of the Masada Myth and the Shaping of Israel’s Collective Memory

Abstract

Masada has multiple dimensions of history and reality, it originated from the ancient Jewish historian Josephus’s account of the mass suicide in 73 AD, but it was almost forgotten in the Middle Ages and only re-entered the Jewish collective memory in the 20th century. As a representative symbol of heroism, Masada developed into a political myth for the construction of the modern Jewish nation-state. With the construction and deconstruction of Masada’s myth as the center, the book uses interdisciplinary research methods to comb out the origin and evolution of Masada’s myth from the perspective of collective memory, and focuses on the relationship between “ Masada” as Israel’s collective memory and modern Jewish identity, enriching the research achievements related to Masada. It has important academic value and practical significance.