Gamla

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Coordinates: 32°54′04″N 35°44′13″E / 32.901137, 35.736809

Battle of Gamla

Ruins of the city of Gamla

Date	67 CE
Location	Gamla, in modern-day Golan Heights
Result	Roman victory

Belligerents

Jewish Zealots

Roman Empire

Commanders

Khares, Joosef

Vespasianus,Titus

Strength

9000

30,000

Casualties and losses

Unknown

v • d • e First Jewish-Roman War

1st Jerusalem - Beth-Horon - Siege of Gamla - 2nd Jerusalem - Siege of Masada

Gamla (Hebrew גמלא Gamla or Gamala) was 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.

Ruins of the city of Gamla

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.

Thousands of inhabitants were slaughtered, while others tried to escape down the steep northern slope, many being trampled to death (Josephus, The Jewish War IV, 1-83).There is reason to believe that Josephus exaggerated the numbers. The notion that these inhabitants tried to commit mass-suicide is incorrect, and is based to the similarity to the story of Masada, also recounted by Josephus. The Greek word Josephus used implies a hasty, clumsy flight and not suicide. Suicide is forbidden by Jewish law, and the two sites (Masada and Gamla) are very different.

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^[1] at the linked website.