Megillah 6A

ואישתכח כוותי. חמת זו טבריא, ולמה נקרא שמה חמת? על שום חמי טבריא. רקת זו ציפורי, ולמה נקרא שמה רקת? משום דמידלייא כרקתא דנהרא. כינרת זו גינוסר, ולמה נקרא שמה כינרת? דמתיקי פירא כקלא דכינרי.

and it was found in accordance with my opinion. I said that Hammath is Tiberias. And why was it called Hammath? On account of the hot springs of [ḥammei] Tiberias that are located there. And I said that Rakkath is Tzippori. And why was it called Rakkath? Because it is raised above the surrounding areas like the bank [rakta] of a river. And I said that Chinnereth is Ginosar. And why was it called Chinnereth? Because its fruit are sweet like the sound of a harp [kinnor].

אמר רבא: מי איכא למאן דאמר רקת לאו טבריא היא? והא כי שכיב איניש הכא, התם ספדי ליה הכי: ״גדול הוא בששך, ושם לו ברקת״. וכי מסקי ארונא להתם, ספדי ליה הכי: אוהבי שרידים יושבי רקת, צאו וקבלו הרוגי עומק.

Rava said: Is there anyone who says that Rakkath is not Tiberias? Isn’t it true that when a great man dies here, in Babylonia, they lament his demise there, in Tiberias, as follows: Great was he in Sheshakh, i.e., Babylonia (see Jeremiah 25:26), and he had a name in Rakkath? Furthermore, when they bring up the casket of an important person to there, to Tiberias, they lament his demise as follows: You lovers of the remnants of the Jewish people, residents of Rakkath, go out and receive the dead from the deep, i.e., the low-lying lands of Babylonia.

כי נח נפשיה דרבי זירא, פתח עליה ההוא ספדנא: ארץ שנער הרה וילדה, ארץ צבי גידלה שעשועיה. אוי נא לה, אמרה רקת, כי אבדה כלי חמדתה.

Similarly, the Talmud relates that when R' Zeira died, a certain eulogizer opened his eulogy for him with these words: The land of Shinar, i.e., Babylonia, R' Zeira’s birthplace, conceived and bore him; the land of the deer, i.e., Eretz Yisrael, where R' Zeira lived as an adult and rose to prominence, raised her delights. Woe to her, said Rakkath, for she has lost her precious instrument. It is apparent from these examples that Rakkath is Tiberias.