In 590-591 CE, according to Karaite sources, the Exilarch Haninai was put to death by Khosrow II, for supporting Bahram VI.
[4] It is thought that after Haninai was put to death, Khosrow II suspended all forms of Jewish self-governance and created many difficulties for the rabbinical academies.
[4] Frank Meir Loewenberg speculates that in order to gain Jewish support Khosrow II appointed an Exilarch of his choosing.
[6] The Persian Sassanians, commanded by Shahrbaraz, were joined by Nehemiah and the wealthy Jewish leader Benjamin of Tiberias, who had mustered a force of Tiberian Jews.
He began the work of making arrangements for the building of the Third Temple, and sorting out genealogies to establish a new High Priesthood.
The Christians were able to briefly retake the city for 19 days before the walls were breached by Shahrbaraz's forces.
[1] Nehemiah ben Hushiel and his "council of the righteous" were killed along with many other Jews, some throwing themselves off the city walls.
The Christian death toll was 17,000[8] in addition 35,000 people including the patriarch Zacharias were deported to Mesopotamia.
[12] In the Sefer Zerubbabel Aaron's rod, Elijah and Nehemiah ben Hushiel will be hidden in the city of Tiberias.
After Nehemiah ben Hushiel takes possession of Jerusalem, he proceeds to sorts out Israel's genealogical lists according to their families.
The Sefer Zerubbabel states that Shiroi King of Persia will stab Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Israel.
[14] Three piyyutim attributed to Eleazar ben Kalir are thought to be based on an early version of the Sefer Zerubbabel.
The Jewish leader who is called the Messiah ben Joseph arises among them and within three months reaches the top.
[15]: 171 Another medieval Hebrew apocalypse the Otot ha-Mašiah also casts Nehemiah ben Hushiel as a Messianic leader.