According to Jewish sources Benjamin 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.[1] Benjamin took a place as one of the leaders of the revolt, actively participating in the Persian siege and capture of Jerusalem in 614 and playing a major role in managing the newly established autonomous Jewish community within the Sassanid Empire. However, the autonomy period was brief, and the Jews surrendered to Heraclius, who entered Jerusalem in 628. Despite the surrender, the next year a major massacre by Byzantines and Ghassanids devastated the Jewish communities of Galilee and Jerusalem. The fate of Benjamin is not known for certain.
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During an early stage of the Byzantine-Sassanid War of 602-628, the Sassanid Persian ruler, Khosrau II, decided as a tactical move to establish a military alliance with the Jewish population of the Sassanid Empire, with a promise to re-establish Jewish rule over the Land of Israel (Palaestina province of Byzantine Empire at that time).[1] Following his pact with Nehemiah ben Hushiel, son of the Jewish Exilarch, a joint Sassanid-Jewish army, commanded by Shahrbaraz, arrived to Palaestina and conquered Caesaria. The Jewish and Persian force was joined by Benjamin of Tiberias, who enlisted and armed additional Jewish soldiers from Tiberias, Nazareth and the mountain cities of Galilee and together they marched on Jerusalem. Later, they were joined by the Jews of the southern parts of the country; and supported by a band of Arabs, the united forces took Jerusalem in July 614 CE.[1]
The joint military effort of Sassanid troops and Jewish militias resulted in a short-lived Jewish autonomy under Sassanid suzerainty. The 3-year period following the conquest of Jerusalem is poorly documented,[2] though Jewish sources claim that the son of the Jewish Exilarch, Nehemiah ben Hushiel, had then been appointed the ruler of Jerusalem.[1] In 617 the Sassanid army abandoned the area to reinforce Khosrau II's campaign against the Byzantines - an act seen by Jews as betrayal. The same year the remaining Christians of Jerusalem rioted, killing Nehemiah.[1] Benjamin remained a leading figure, but the Jewish autonomy probably deteriorated into anarchy.
There are several versions on the fate of Benjamin: one speaks of his execution by Theodosius in 625 CE[3]; while another of his forced conversion to Christianity.
However, the mainstream version tells that in 628, after the defeat and death of Khosrau II, Heraclius came as victor into Jerusalem and the Jews of Tiberias and Nazareth, under the leadership of Benjamin of Tiberias, surrendered and joined him as allies. It is said that Benjamin even accompanied Heraclius on his voyage to Jerusalem. Despite the surrender, most of the Jewish population in the area was massacred the next year with Jewish survivors fleeing to Egypt. There is no certain information on the fate of Benjamin in those final chapters of the conflict.