The Judean Desert and Dead sea as seen from Masada

Masada (a romanisation of the Hebrew Metzada, from metzuda, "fortress") is the name for a site of ancient palaces and fortifications on top of an isolated rock plateau, on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. Masada became famous for its attributed mythic significance in the First Jewish-Roman War (also known as the Great Jewish Revolt) when a siege of the fortress by troops of the Roman Empire led to a mass suicide of the site's Jewish Sicarii fugitives when defeat became imminent. Today, Masada is a very popular tourist destination.