Wikipedia's first sentence called it “significant event in the byzantine–sasanian war of 602–628 that took place after the sasanian king khosrow ii a”. Today it says “significant development in the byzantine–sasanian war of 602–628”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “The Sasanian Empire conquered Jerusalem after a brief siege in 614”. It now reads “Event in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 CE”.
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Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
We saved snapshots of this article over twenty years; you are reading the 2025 one. Red dashes: removed from Wikipedia since.Pale dots: rewritten; the numbered note shows what it says now.Red text: written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot.1 tap a number or a side note to jump between them
The opening as it read in 2025
Sasanian War of 602–628 Belligerents Byzantine Empire Sasanian Empire Anti-Heraclian Jews Commanders and leaders Heraclius Zacharias Khosrow II Shahrbaraz Nehemiah ben Hushiel Benjamin of Tiberias Strength Unknown Unknown number of Sasanian forces 20,000–26,000 Jewish rebels Casualties and losses Disputed Disputed Many Jews killed during the revolt; 4,518 –66,509 Christians killed during the siege The Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem in early 614 was a significant development in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 . It was the result of a major offensive by the Sasanian Empire across the Fertile Crescent , culminating in the annexation of Jerusalem and Palaestina Prima as a whole. The Sasanian advance had been bolstered by the timely outbreak of the Jewish revolt against Heraclius , owing to decades of persecution of Jews and Samaritans by the Byzantine Empire , although the Heraclian dynasty itself had only been in power for four years. In 613, Sasanian king Khosrow II had appointed his army chief Shahrbaraz to lead a campaign into the Byzantines' Diocese of the East . Under Shahrbaraz's command, the Sasanian army proceeded to secure victories at Antioch and Caesarea Maritima , which was the administrative capital of Palaestina Prima. By this time, the grand inner harbour had silted up and was useless, but the city continued to be an important maritime hub after Byzantine emperor Anastasius I Dicorus ordered the outer harbour's reconstruction. Successfully capturing the city and the harbour had given the Sasanians strategic access to the Mediterranean Sea , and their ranks were reinforced by Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Benjamin of Tiberias , who enlisted and armed Jewish rebels throughout Galilee , including the cities of Tiberias and Nazareth . In total, between 20,000 and 26,000 Jewish rebels joined the Sasanian army's assault on Byzantine Jerusalem. By mid-614, the Sasanians had taken the city, but sources vary on whether this occurred without resistance from the Byzantine army or after a siege and breaching of the wall with artillery. In the aftermath of the fall of Jerusalem to the Sasanian–Jewish alliance, the city descended into chaos and disorder. On Khosrow's orders, the Sasanian army located the True Cross , which Christians believe was used to crucify Jesus in 30 or 33, and moved it to Ctesiphon . The Sasanian conquest interrupted the centuries-long Byzantine ban on Jewish entry into Jerusalem, and Jews were able to enter the city for the first time since the Bar Kokhba revolt in 136. Sources for Christian casualties during this period vary greatly, with some placing the number of dead and wounded in the low thousands and others in the tens of thousands or higher. The Byzantines eventually recovered their lost territories before being pushed out indefinitely by the Muslim conquest of the Levant in 638, whereafter the ban on Jews was lifted and Christian rule over Jerusalem ended until the Crusades . A history of Palestine from 135 A.D. to modern times . W. ; Howard-Johnston, James (historical commentary); Greenwood, Tim (assistance) (1999). The Armenian History Attributed to Sebeos . Institute of Archaeology Hebrew University of Jerusalem . A History of the Jewish People .
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 1298148932.
The opening as it stood in 2010
The Siege of Jerusalem in 614 AD was part of the final phase of the Roman-Persian Wars , as the Persian shah Khosrau II and his general Shahrbaraz conquered the Byzantine Middle East . Following the Persian advances into Syria in the previous year, Shahrbaraz's next target was Jerusalem , the capital of Palestine and the Christian Empire's most holy city. Providing direct access to the Mediterranean Sea , the city would also provide a strategic location for the Persian Empire to begin constructing a naval fleet, thereby threatening Byzantine hegemony in the Mediterranean. After 21 days of relentless siege warfare , Jerusalem's walls yielded and the conclusive Persian victory resulted in the territorial annexation of Jerusalem, and all of Palestine.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 352959434.
The opening as it stood in 2015 4 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
The Sasanian Empire conquered Jerusalem after a brief siege in 614, during the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 .The Persian Shah Khosrau II appointed his general Shahrbaraz to conquer the Byzantine controlled areas of the Near East .Following the victory in Antioch , Shahrbaraz conquered Caesarea Maritima , the administrative capital of the province.By this time the grand inner harbor had silted up and was useless, however the Emperor Anastasius had reconstructed the outer harbor and Caesarea remained an important maritime city, providing the Persian Empire with access to the Mediterranean Sea.The Sasanian Persians were joined by Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Benjamin of Tiberias (a man of immense wealth), who enlisted and armed Jewish soldiers from Tiberias , Nazareth and the mountain cities of Galilee , and together with a band of Arabs and additional Jews from southern parts of the country they marched on Jerusalem.Some 20,000 Jewish rebels joined the war against the Byzantine Christians.Depending on the chronicler figures of either 20,000 or 26,000 are given.The Persian army reinforced by Jewish forces lead by Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Benjamin of Tiberias would capture Jerusalem without resistance.A history of Palestine from 135 A.D. to modern times .The Armenian History Attributed to Sebeos .Institute of Archaeology Hebrew University of Jerusalem .A History of the Jewish People .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 662807053.
The opening as it stood in 2020
The Sasanian Empire conquered Jerusalem after a brief siege in 614 Belligerents Byzantine Empire Sasanian Persian Empire Jewish Allies Commanders and leaders Patriarch Zacharias   ( POW ) Shahrbaraz Nehemiah ben Hushiel Benjamin of Tiberias Strength Byzantine Empire Christian rebels Sasanian Empire Persian forces 20,000 or 26,000 Jewish rebels Casualties and losses 4,518 -66,509 Christians Many Jews slain in the revolt The Sasanian Empire conquered Jerusalem after a brief siege in 614, during the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 , after the Persian Shah Khosrau II appointed his general Shahrbaraz to conquer the Byzantine controlled areas of the Near East . Following the victory in Antioch , Shahrbaraz conquered Caesarea Maritima , the administrative capital of the province. By this time the grand inner harbor had silted up and was useless, however the Emperor Anastasius had reconstructed the outer harbor and Caesarea remained an important maritime city, providing the Persian Empire with access to the Mediterranean Sea. The Sasanian Persians were joined by Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Benjamin of Tiberias (a man of immense wealth), who enlisted and armed Jewish soldiers from Tiberias , Nazareth and the mountain cities of Galilee , and together with a band of Arabs and additional Jews from southern parts of the country they marched on Jerusalem. Some 20,000 Jewish rebels joined the war against the Byzantine Christians. Depending on the chronicler figures of either 20,000 or 26,000 are given. The Persian army reinforced by Jewish forces led by Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Benjamin of Tiberias would capture Jerusalem without resistance. A history of Palestine from 135 A.D. to modern times . The Armenian History Attributed to Sebeos . Institute of Archaeology Hebrew University of Jerusalem . A History of the Jewish People .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 959352279.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 4 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Event in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 CE Belligerents Byzantine Empire Sasanian Empire Supported by: Jewish rebels Commanders and leaders Emperor Heraclius I Patriarch Zacharias   ( POW ) Shahrbaraz Nehemiah ben Hushiel Benjamin of Tiberias Strength Byzantine military Sasanian military Supported by: 20,000–26,000 Jewish rebels Casualties and losses Disputed Disputed Many Jews killed during the revolt; 4,518 –66,509 Christians killed during the siege The Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem occurred after a brief siege of the city by the Sasanian military in 614 CE, and was a significant event in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 that took place after the Sasanian king Khosrow II appointed his spahbod (army chief), Shahrbaraz , to take control of the Byzantine -ruled areas of the Near East for the Sasanian Persian Empire .Following the Sasanian victory in Antioch a year earlier, Shahrbaraz had successfully conquered Caesarea Maritima , the administrative capital of the Byzantine province of Palaestina Prima .By this time, the grand inner harbour had silted up and was useless; however, the Byzantine emperor Anastasius I Dicorus had reconstructed the outer harbour, and Caesarea Maritima remained an important maritime city.The city and its harbour gave the Sasanian Empire strategic access to the Mediterranean Sea .Following the outbreak of a Jewish revolt against the Byzantine emperor Heraclius , the Sasanian Persians were joined by the Jewish leaders Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Benjamin of Tiberias , who enlisted and armed Jewish rebels from Tiberias , Nazareth and the mountain cities of the Galilee as well as from other parts of the southern Levant , after which they marched on the city of Jerusalem with the Sasanian military.Some 20,000–26,000 Jewish rebels joined the war against the Byzantine Empire.The joint Jewish–Sasanian force later captured Jerusalem; this occurred either without resistance or after a siege and breaching of the wall with artillery, depending on the source. A history of Palestine from 135 A.D. to modern times . W. ; Howard-Johnston, James (historical commentary); Greenwood, Tim (assistance) (1999). The Armenian History Attributed to Sebeos . Institute of Archaeology Hebrew University of Jerusalem . A History of the Jewish People .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1171533739.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “significant event in the byzantine–sasanian war of 602–628 that took place after the sasanian king khosrow ii a”. Today it says “significant development in the byzantine–sasanian war of 602–628”. The one-line description Wikipedia serves to search engines and AI systems read “The Sasanian Empire conquered Jerusalem after a brief siege in 614”. It now reads “Event in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 CE”. Read the current article and compare.
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since October 7, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
significant event in the byzantine–sasanian war of 602–628 that took place after the sasanian king khosrow ii a
Now
significant development in the byzantine–sasanian war of 602–628
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
