 Christians were able to briefly retake the city before the walls were breached by Shahrbaraz’s forces who lay siege to the city.According to Antiochus Strategos, the abbot Modestos set out to Jericho where he mustered a force from the Byzantine troops which were garrisoned there.However, once the Byzantine troops caught sight of the overwhelming Persian army encamped outside the city walls, they fled, fearing a suicidal battle.