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The Exilarchs under the Sassanids: Friends of the Rulers, Enemies of the People

Although Babylonia, or Iraq, was largely populated by Jews, the population was still a mixed one, and in the course of time the non-Jewish population grew to be in the majority. The religiously undeveloped Parthians could not exercise religious influence upon the Jews (Rav was the intimate friend of the last Parthian king, Artaban IV. r209-226); but it was otherwise with the Sassinids. The rulers at first retained close relations with the Jews, but due to pressure by the non-Jewish population, the relations became strained.

In the winter of 226 CE, Artaxerxes I (Ardeshir I) destroyed the rule of the Arsacids, and founded the illustrious dynasty of the Sassanids.[1] Different from the Parthian rulers, who in language and religion inclined toward Hellenism, the Sassanids intensified the Persian side of life, favored the Pahlavi language, and restored with zeal the old religion of the Magi, founded upon fire-worship, which now, under the favoring influence of the government, attained the fury of fanaticism. Of course, both Christians and Jews suffered under this; but the latter, dwelling in more compact masses, were not exposed to such general persecutions as broke out against the more isolated Christians.

The Sassanids continued to recognize the Exilarch as a prince of a semi-autonomous ethnic state due to his contribution in preventing invasion from Rome and his continued role in managing a buffer zone against Rome.. Under the first Sassanid rulers, the intimacy of the Exilarch, Academies and Parthian leaders continued to grow. Ibn Daud says that in Ardeshir's days the Jews and Persians loved each other, as also in the days of King Sapor I. (240-271). S. Cassel believes that the Jews were favored by the Persians; and Graetz knows of no persecution under Ardeshir. King Sapor favored Samuel with such a degree of intimacy that the latter [2] and the people generally spoke of him with respect as "the Jewish sage".[3] But Samuel, too, liked the Persians. He was the author of the celebrated saying, "The law of the land is the law to go by".[4]

Under Sapor began the bitter contest with the Romans for possession of the rich lands of the Euphrates, thickly populated by Jews.[5] The Persians penetrated to the very heart of the Roman territory, until Odenath, prince of Palmyra, moved against them and took their booty from them in 261 CE. Jewish sources[6] refer to the calamity of the destruction of Nehardea. Samuel was then no longer alive; his daughters were taken prisoners; and his disciples fled to Shekanẓib, Shelhi, and Mahoza in the shadow of the capital Ctesiphon; Nehardea ceased to be the principal focus of Jewish life, although its academy still continued in existence. Many rabbis also escaped to Pumbedita, which city now became the seat for a thousand years of the most celebrated Babylonian Jewish college next to Sura.

Even though the Sassanids continued to recognize the Exilarch as a prince of a semi-autonomous ethnic state, due to the resentment of the local population, the role of Jews began to be eliminated from public office – and even their autonomy began to be dependant upon large payments to government. In Seder Olam Zuta records that "the Persians obtained dominion in the year 245 (233 CE) after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, and instituted a persecution of the Jews."

Contemporary Talmudic sources[7] corroborate this; thus, R. Kahana says: "Hitherto the Persians [Parthians] permitted Jews to exercise capital punishment; but now the Persians do not permit it"[8]. The Jews were no longer appointed to the wardenship of the canals Reshe Nahare, nor to offices of the court, which, however, the Jews regarded as an advantage;[9] Canal-wardens, who were also tax collectors, were held in such dread[10] that the Jews were glad to be relieved from the duty. A prison-warder is mentioned zanduḳna in Ta'anit 22a, but he was probably in the employ of the Exilarch. When the news was brought to R. Johanan, the most esteemed Amora in Israel, that the Guebers (Chaverin = Magi) had overrun and conquered Babylonia, he feinted out of sympathy for his Babylonian brethren; but on being revived he reassured himself with the thought that the conquerors were open to money inducements.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Ardeshir I son of Babek; the full name appears in Abraham ibn Daud, ed. Neubauer, p. 60
  2. ↑ see Ḳid. 39a; Shab. 53a
  3. ↑ Shab. 129a
  4. ↑ B. B. 54b, referring, of course to civil matters; and even when his king, in the exigencies of war, felt himself compelled to slaughter twelve thousand Jews at Mazaga (Cesarea), in Cappadocia, Samuel was ready to defend him (M. Ḳ. 26a).
  5. ↑ R. Johanan aptly remarked concerning these struggles that "Holwan, Adiabene, and Nisibis are the three ribs which the prophet Daniel describes as being held in the mouth of the beast, sometimes crunched and sometimes dropped" (ḳid. 72a; see Dan. vii. 5)
  6. ↑ Sherira, the "Small Chronicle" and the "Seder Tannaim"
  7. ↑ The Babylonian Talmud is the major source of information on the office up to the 6th century, supplemented by contemporary Palestinian sources, later medieval chronicles, and 9th-century Pahlavi texts (see, e.g., Markwart, Provincial Capitals, p. 19).
  8. ↑ Baba Ḳama 117a
  9. ↑ Ta'anit, 20a
  10. ↑ as is graphically described in Sanh. 25b
  11. ↑ Yeb. 63b
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