and the temple itself, “not … one stone upon another” (Luke 19:44). So intent were the Romans on quelling the rebellion that the new legate of the Roman imperial province of Judea, Lucilius Brassus, spent two years chasing down the last of the Zealots. Lucius Flavius Silva replaced him and besieged the final group of holdouts at Masada, Herod’s fortress palace overlooking the Dead Sea. Silva encircled the fortress with walls and built a siege rank to its height (both still visible today). When the