Masada was also the site of a siege "from 73 to 74 CE, at the end of the First Jewish–Roman War," according to Wikipedia. The siege ended with "the mass suicide of the 960 Sicarii rebels who were hiding there," who preferred death over slavery by the Romans.

While you can choose to take a cable car up to the ruins, the Masada Snake Path offers a fantastic hike from the base to the ruins at the top. The trail is well-built with a series of switchbacks and a reinforced trail tread. Hordes of tourists swarm this trail every single day, so you'll need to get an early start if you want to beat the crowds. However, the traffic isn't too difficult to deal with, as the trail tread is quite wide.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masada https://jessieonajourney.com/best-hikes-in-israel/ https://www.hike-israel.com/nature-in-israel/masada/