The photos below show the remains of Gamla, a first-century Jewish town. Located about 10 km (6 miles) northeast of the Sea of Galilee – on a hill that resembles a camel’s hump – Gamla participated in a major Jewish revolt against Roman rule.

It was during this rebellion, in AD 67, that Gamla was besieged and destroyed by Roman forces. According to the first-century historian Josephus, Gamla’s defenders were undone by a powerful easterly gale:

“…to seal their ruin, a storm miraculously arose which, blowing full in their faces, carried against them the arrows of the Romans and checked and deflected their own. Owing to the force of the gale they could neither stand on the edge of the precipices, having no firm foothold, nor see the approaching enemy” (War 4.76-78 [LCL]).

Gamla was overpowered by the Romans in November of AD 67.