Silva, Flavius°

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SILVA, FLAVIUS°

SILVA, FLAVIUS °, Roman commander, conqueror of *Masada. Upon the death of Lucilius *Bassus he was sent to suppress the remaining rebels in the Judean desert. With a large army he undertook the siege of Masada, despite the enormous difficulties which he had to overcome in providing for his army, which included many non-combatants. After a siege lasting several months the fortress was taken. The rebels under *Eleazar b. Jair chose to die by their own hands rather than fall into the hands of the Romans. Silva returned with his army to Caesarea and later became consul in Rome.

bibliography:

Jos., Wars 7:252, 275–9, 304–15, 407; Pauly-Wissowa, 12 (1909), 2617; Klausner, Bayit Sheni, 5 (19512), 287ff.; Schuerer, Gesch, 1 (19014), 638; Schuerer, Hist, 274, 277.

[Lea Roth]

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Silva, Flavius°

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