In any case the inhabitants could not afford to admit more people, because of the limits on food and water. waterfalls. The remains from the ancient settlement of Gamla are at the foot of the observation point. The steep descent to the settlement takes about 20 minutes. Gamla was an important city at the end of the Second Temple period and it is possible that Jesus visited Gamla. The city catapulted to fame because of its role in early days of the Great Revolt (67 C.E.). In his book, The Jewish War, Josephus Flavius tells in great detail the dramatic story of how the Jews of Gamla fought the Romans tooth and nail. When they saw that they had no chance whatsoever of victory, the Jews chose to commit suicide by jumping off the precipice rather than fall into captivity. At last the combination of Roman might was too much. The defenders began to flee to the upper parts of the town, and the Romans, breaking through, surged after them. This proved to be a mistake. The Jews, with nothing but the sky above and the enemy below, had no choice but to turn and fight, and this they did with ferocity. Against their fury, the pursuing Romans found themselves in a trap. For the houses at Gamla were built very close together on the slope, joined by the narrowest possible alleys. (This too the archaeologists could confirm.) Caught between their own forces charging up the hill and the desperate Jews above them, the soldiers found no recourse but to jump onto the roofs of the houses at their feet. These collapsed beneath the armored weight, leaving many Romans caught beneath timber and stones, while others were choked by dust. When one house fell it knocked down those beneath, so that to an observer the effect must have been as if the camel had shuddered, shedding its load. Archeology aficionados will be interested in the remains: a church from the Byzantine village of Der Qaruch, a synagogue used for prayer until the destruction of the Second Temple, an aqueduct, a ritual bath, and numerous public buildings. The arrowheads and slingstones found here are sad mementos of the battle waged and lost at Gamla. A monument at Gamla commemorates the first Jewish settlers of the Golan who fell in the line of duty. The view from the memorial site is breathtaking. On weekdays the nature reserve is often closed to visitors because of army exercises. Please call the reserve before you set out to verify that it is open. Perhaps the defeat was even graver than Josephus reports, for the Romans delayed attacking again, and they did not (or could not) prevent most of the rebel fighters from escaping out of the hungry, thirsty city. Vespasian waited until his son Titus arrived. After choosing a force of 200 cavalry and some infantry, Titus noiselessly entered Gamla. Those who remained were no match for him. Avenging the deaths of their comrades, the Romans slaughtered young and old. Blood, writes Josephus, flowed down the slopes.