Benjamin of TiberiasBenjamin of Tiberias was a man of immense wealth, who enlisted and armed many soldiers during the Jewish revolt against Heraclius in the 7th century Palaestina province of the Byzantine Empire. The Persian force was joined by Benjamin of Tiberias, who enlisted and armed Jewish soldiers from Tiberias, Nazareth and the mountain cities of Galilee. Together they marched on Jerusalem.Nehemiah ben HushielNehemiah ben Hushiel (Hebrew: נחמיה בן חושיאל), was a leader of the Jewish revolt against Heraclius and the last Jewish leader to control Jerusalem until the modern state of Israel. Nehemiah ben Hushiel appears in the 7th century Jewish book Sefer Zerubbabel where he represents the Messiah ben Joseph. Political backgroundIn 590-591 CE, according to Karaite sources, the Exilarch Haninai was put to death by Khosrow II, for supporting Bahram VI.
Sasanian conquest of JerusalemBelligerentsByzantine EmpireSasanian EmpireAnti-Heraclian JewsCommanders and leadersHeracliusZachariasKhosrow IIShahrbarazNehemiah ben HushielBenjamin of TiberiasStrength Unknown Unknown number of Sasanian forces20,000–26,000 Jewish rebelsCasualties and lossesDisputedDisputedAccording to Sebeos: 17,000 Christians killedAccording to later Christian sources: 66,509 Christians killed during the siege (exaggerated) 4,518 Jews killed during the revoltThe Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem in early 614 was a significant development in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628.
Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628BelligerentsByzantine EmpireSupported by:GhassanidsWestern Turkic KhaganateHephthalitesNobatiaSasanian EmpireSupported by:Sasanian IberiaJewish rebelsLakhmidsPrincipality of IberiaAvarsSclaveniMakuriaEastern Turkic KhaganateCommanders and leadersHeracliusPhocasPhilippicusGermanus (DOW)LeontiusPriscusNicetasTheodoreBonusBöri ShadZiebelShahrbaraz (after 626)Khosrow IIShahrbaraz (until 626)ShahinShahraplakanStephen I†Rhahzadh†NarsesAshtat YeztayarCasualties and losses 200,000+ dead 200,000+ dead The Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628, also called the Last Great War of Antiquity, was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Sasanian Empire.
TiberiasTiberias ( ty-BEER-ee-əs; Hebrew: טְבֶרְיָה, ; Arabic: طَبَرِيَّا, romanized: Ṭabariyyā) is a city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 18th century one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Hebron, and Safed. In 2024, it had a population of 52,123.
Third TempleThe "Third Temple" (Hebrew: בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, Bēṯ hamMīqdāš hašŠlīšī, transl. 'Third House of the Sanctum') refers to a hypothetical rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. It would succeed the First Temple and the Second Temple, the former having been destroyed during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in c. 587 BCE and the latter having been destroyed during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70CE.
HeracliusHeraclius (Greek: Ἡράκλειος, romanized: Hērákleios, Arabic: هِرَقْل, romanized: Hiraql; c. 575 – 11 February 641) was Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the Exarch of Africa, led a revolt against the unpopular emperor Phocas. Heraclius's reign was marked by wars against the Persians and the Arabs.
Sasanian EmpireThe Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr (Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭𐭱𐭲𐭥𐭩, romanized: Ērānšahr, lit. 'Empire of the Iranians'), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651 AD (the era of late antiquity). Lasting for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign over ancient Iran was second only to that of the Arsacid dynasty of Parthia which immediately preceded it.
JewsJews, or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating in the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly interrelated, as Judaism is an ethnic religion, though many ethnic Jews do not practice it. Jews regard converts to Judaism as members of the Jewish nation, pursuant to the long-standing conversion process.
Palestine (region)The region of Palestine, also known as historic Palestine or land of Palestine, is a geographical area in West Asia. It generally encompasses the area inhabited by the modern states of Israel and Palestine, though over history it has also been used to refer to an area both smaller and larger. Other names for part or all of this region include Canaan, the Promised Land, the Land of Israel, the Holy Land, and Judea.
JerusalemCity in the Southern LevantMetropolis in Israel and Palestine, Israel
History of the Jews in the Roman EmpireThe history of the Jews in the Roman Empire traces the interaction of Jews and Romans during the period of the Roman Empire (27 BC – 476 AD). A Jewish diaspora had migrated to Rome and to the territories of Roman Europe from the land of Israel, Anatolia, Babylon and Alexandria in response to economic hardship and incessant warfare over the land of Israel between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires from the 4th to the 1st centuries BC.
Sasanian conquest of JerusalemBelligerentsByzantine EmpireSasanian EmpireAnti-Heraclian JewsCommanders and leadersHeracliusZachariasKhosrow IIShahrbarazNehemiah ben HushielBenjamin of TiberiasStrength Unknown Unknown number of Sasanian forces20,000–26,000 Jewish rebelsCasualties and lossesDisputedDisputedAccording to Sebeos: 17,000 Christians killedAccording to later Christian sources: 66,509 Christians killed during the siege (exaggerated) 4,518 Jews killed during the revoltThe Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem in early 614 was a significant development in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628.Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628BelligerentsByzantine EmpireSupported by:GhassanidsWestern Turkic KhaganateHephthalitesNobatiaSasanian EmpireSupported by:Sasanian IberiaJewish rebelsLakhmidsPrincipality of IberiaAvarsSclaveniMakuriaEastern Turkic KhaganateCommanders and leadersHeracliusPhocasPhilippicusGermanus (DOW)LeontiusPriscusNicetasTheodoreBonusBöri ShadZiebelShahrbaraz (after 626)Khosrow IIShahrbaraz (until 626)ShahinShahraplakanStephen I†Rhahzadh†NarsesAshtat YeztayarCasualties and losses 200,000+ dead 200,000+ dead The Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628, also called the Last Great War of Antiquity, was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Sasanian Empire.TiberiasTiberias ( ty-BEER-ee-əs; Hebrew: טְבֶרְיָה, ; Arabic: طَبَرِيَّا, romanized: Ṭabariyyā) is a city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. A major Jewish center during Late Antiquity, it has been considered since the 18th century one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Hebron, and Safed. In 2024, it had a population of 52,123.Third TempleThe "Third Temple" (Hebrew: בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, Bēṯ hamMīqdāš hašŠlīšī, transl. 'Third House of the Sanctum') refers to a hypothetical rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. It would succeed the First Temple and the Second Temple, the former having been destroyed during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in c. 587 BCE and the latter having been destroyed during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70CE.HeracliusHeraclius (Greek: Ἡράκλειος, romanized: Hērákleios, Arabic: هِرَقْل, romanized: Hiraql; c. 575 – 11 February 641) was Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the Exarch of Africa, led a revolt against the unpopular emperor Phocas. Heraclius's reign was marked by wars against the Persians and the Arabs.Sasanian EmpireThe Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr (Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭𐭱𐭲𐭥𐭩, romanized: Ērānšahr, lit. 'Empire of the Iranians'), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651 AD (the era of late antiquity). Lasting for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign over ancient Iran was second only to that of the Arsacid dynasty of Parthia which immediately preceded it.JewsJews, or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating in the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly interrelated, as Judaism is an ethnic religion, though many ethnic Jews do not practice it. Jews regard converts to Judaism as members of the Jewish nation, pursuant to the long-standing conversion process.Palestine (region)The region of Palestine, also known as historic Palestine or land of Palestine, is a geographical area in West Asia. It generally encompasses the area inhabited by the modern states of Israel and Palestine, though over history it has also been used to refer to an area both smaller and larger. Other names for part or all of this region include Canaan, the Promised Land, the Land of Israel, the Holy Land, and Judea.JerusalemCity in the Southern LevantMetropolis in Israel and Palestine, IsraelHistory of the Jews in the Roman EmpireThe history of the Jews in the Roman Empire traces the interaction of Jews and Romans during the period of the Roman Empire (27 BC – 476 AD). A Jewish diaspora had migrated to Rome and to the territories of Roman Europe from the land of Israel, Anatolia, Babylon and Alexandria in response to economic hardship and incessant warfare over the land of Israel between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires from the 4th to the 1st centuries BC.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.