▁in ▁ 3 3 8 , ▁ 3 4 6 ▁and ▁ 3 5 0 . ▁During ▁the ▁first ▁sie ge , ▁E ph rem ▁cred its ▁Bishop ▁Jacob ▁as ▁def ending ▁the ▁city ▁with ▁his ▁pray ers . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁third ▁sie ge , ▁of ▁ 3 5 0 , ▁Sh ap ur ▁r er out ed ▁the ▁River ▁My g don ius ▁to ▁und erm ine ▁the ▁walls ▁of ▁N is ib is . ▁The ▁N is iben es ▁quickly ▁rep a ired ▁the ▁walls ▁while ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁ele ph ant ▁caval ry ▁became ▁bog ged ▁down ▁in ▁the ▁wet ▁ground . ▁E ph rem ▁celebrated ▁what ▁he ▁saw ▁as ▁the ▁mi rac ul ous ▁salv ation ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁in ▁a ▁h ymn ▁that ▁port rayed ▁N is ib is ▁as ▁being ▁like ▁No ah ' s ▁Ark , ▁floating ▁to ▁safety ▁on ▁the ▁flo od . ▁ ▁One ▁important ▁physical ▁link ▁to ▁E ph rem ' s ▁lifetime ▁is ▁the ▁bapt ister y ▁of ▁N is ib is . ▁The ▁ins cription ▁tells ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁constructed ▁under ▁Bishop ▁V olog eses ▁in ▁ 3 5 9 . ▁In ▁that ▁year , ▁Sh ap ur ▁attacked ▁again . ▁The ▁cities ▁around ▁N is ib is ▁were ▁destroyed ▁one ▁by ▁one , ▁and ▁their ▁citizens ▁killed ▁or ▁deport ed . ▁Constant ius ▁II ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁respond ; ▁the ▁campaign ▁of ▁Julian ▁in ▁ 3 6 3 ▁ended ▁with ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁battle . ▁ ▁His ▁army ▁elected