pillage of Ein Gedi

{{short description|Sicarii raid on Ein Gedi during the First Jewish–Roman War (67 CE)}}

{{Infobox civilian attack

|title= Pillage of Ein Gedi

|map=

|location= Ein Gedi, Roman Judea

|target= Jewish residents of Ein Gedi

|date= Passover, 67 CE

|time=

|timezone=

|type= Mass Killings

|fatalities=700

|injuries=

|perps= Sicarii rebels, coming from Masada

|motive= Pillage

}}

{{Campaignbox First Jewish-Roman War}}

The Pillage of Ein Gedi refers to the Sicarii raid of Ein Gedi during the First Jewish–Roman War. According to Josephus, on Passover, the Sicarii of Masada raided Ein Gedi, a nearby Jewish settlement, and killed 700 of its inhabitants.[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2850/2850-h/2850-h.htm#link42HCH0007 The Wars of the Jews, or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, by Flavius Josephus], translated by William Whiston, Project Gutenberg, Book IV, Chapter 7, Paragraph 2.[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0147%3Abook%3D4%3Awhiston+chapter%3D7%3Awhiston+section%3D2 Flavius Josephus, De bello Judaico libri vii], B. Niese, Ed. J. BJ 4.7.2[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/ancient-battle-divides-israel-as-masada-myth-unravels-1275878.html Ancient battle divides Israel as Masada 'myth' unravels; Was the siege really so heroic, asks Patrick Cockburn in Jerusalem], The Independent, 30 March 1997 Josephus' account is the only known record of the pillage and its perpetrators. Pliny the Elder however described the destruction of Ein Gedi after the end of the war:

{{quote|Below the settlement of the Essenes was once the village of Ein Gedi, second only to Jerusalem (Carei Jericho) in fertility of soil and groves of palm trees. But now it, like Jerusalem (Jericho), is but a heap of ashes|Naturalis Historia 5: 73}}

The excavation of a miqve in Ein Gedi revealed a large concentration of pottery sherds and stone tools on the floor, which had been covered by a layer of collapsed debris showing evidence of a heavy conflagration. It is possible that this represents the destruction inflicted by the Sicarii during the Great Revolt.Ein Gedi: A Large Jewish Village. [http://mushecht.haifa.ac.il/catalogues/Hirschpeld_Eng.pdf]