The Artabba Fortress: An Unknown Hasmonaean-Herodian Fortress on the Northern Border of Judaea

The Artabba fortress, a site until recently unknown, is located at the summit of a high hill; its monumental remains were exposed by chance during development works carried out by residents of the nearby village of Deir Abu Mashʿal. The remains included fortifications, architectural elements, the openings of five huge cisterns, ritual baths and storage pits, as well as various rock cuttings and numerous potsherds from the Hellenistic and Early Roman periods. These finds, especially the fortifications and the impressive water-supply system, are the principal features of the sites in the Judaean Desert and the settled areas of the country where there were fortresses from the Second Temple period. The archaeological finds, in conjunction with the geographical and historical data, make it possible to date the fortress from the time of Simon the Hasmonaean to the end of Herod’s reign. The discovery of the Artabba fortress sheds light on the history of the settlement of northern Judaea in the Second Temple period.