Some Jews in South India settle eventually…

Vitalian is first mentioned in 503, when he accompanied his father in the Anastasian War against the Persians.

By 513, he had risen to the rank of comes in Thrace, possibly comes foederatorum, "count of the foederati", barbarian soldiers serving in the East Roman army.

From this post, he rebels against Emperor Anastasius, taking advantage of widespread resentment over the emperor's military, religious, and social policies.

Anastasius had changed the form of the Trisagion and officially adopted the Miaphysite dogma in 511, angering the Empire's Chalcedonian population, already alienated by his strict financial policies.

Furthermore, Anastasius had refused to supply the annonae ("rations", "provisions") due to the foederati, allowing Vitalian to quickly gain the allegiance of the regular troops stationed in the provinces of Thrace, Moesia II, and Scythia Minor from the unpopular magister militum per Thracias, Hypatius.

Hypatius's subordinate commanders are either killed or join the rebellion.

At the same time, posing as a champion of Chalcedonian orthodoxy, Vitalian is able to gain the support of the local people, who flock to join his force.

According to contemporary chroniclers, he quickly assembles an army of fifty thousand to sixty thousand men, "both soldiers and peasants", and marches onto Constantinople, possibly hoping that the mostly Chalcedonian inhabitants will join him.

Indeed, it appears that Vitalian's revolt was primarily motivated by religious reasons, something suggested by his repeatedly demonstrated willingness to reach an accommodation with Anastasius.

To counter Vitalian's propaganda, Anastasius orders bronze crosses to be set up on the city walls inscribed with his own version of events.

The emperor also reduces taxes in the provinces of Bithynia and Asia to prevent them from joining the rebellion.

When Vitalian's forces reach the capital, they encamp at the suburb of Hebdomon and blockade the landward side of the city.

Anastasius opts for negotiations, and sends out Vitalian's former patron, the former consul and magister militum praesentalis Patricius, as ambassador.

To him, Vitalian declares his aims: the restoration of Chalcedonian orthodoxy and the settling of the Thracian army's grievances.

Patricius then invites him and his officers for negotiations in the city itself.

Vitalian refuses for himself, but allows his senior officers to go on the next day.

The officers are well treated by Anastasius, who gives them gifts and promises that their soldiers' grievances will be settled.

He also pledges to submit the religious dispute for resolution to the Patriarch of Rome.

Upon their return to the rebel camp, these officers unanimously pressure Vitalian to accept this settlement.

Faced with no alternative, only eight days after his arrival before the capital, Vitalian retreats and returns with his men to Lower Moesia.

Anastasius now appoints as magister militum per Thracias an officer called Cyril, who proceeds to attack Vitalian's forces.

After a few inconclusive skirmishes, Vitalian manages to bribe his entry into Odessus, Cyril's base, and kill him.

At this point, Anastasius has Vitalian declared a "public enemy" and sends out a new huge army—reportedly eighty thousand men—under his nephew Hypatius, with a Hun called Alathar as the new magister militum of Thrace.

After winning a minor initial victory, the imperial army is eventually pushed back towards Odessus in autumn 513.

At Acris, on the Black Sea coast, Vitalian's men attack the imperial army's fortified laager in darkness and deal them a crushing defeat: the larger part of the army is killed, and both imperial commanders are taken prisoner and held for ransom.

Comentiolus, commander (magister militum) of the eastern army, receives the legitimate Persian king, Khosrau II, as refugee in his headquarters at Hierapolis.

The Jews of Antioch, upon receiving word of the imminent approach of the Persians, riot, killing the Christian patriarch in revenge for severe repression, thus facilitating the entrance of Persian troops into the city.

As a result, anti-Jewish pogroms break out in the Roman Empire from Syria to Asia Minor.

The Persians reach the Bosporus by 608, laying siege to Chalcedon.

The Persians, having thoroughly penetrated Asia Minor, now turn to the south.

Khosrau's ablest general, Shahrbaraz, leads a second invasion of Mesopotamia in 613.

Damascus is taken in this year.

The Persian army under Shahin Vahmanzadegan takes Ephesus and …

…destroys the city of Sardis, including its synagogue.

Its importance is due to an highway leading from the interior to the Aegean coast.

Shahin marches through Anatolia, defeating the imperial forces numerous times.