Chapter XV: The Epoch of the Talmud, the Amoraim, and the Saboraim

(219-550 C. E.)

219. ABBA AREKA (RAB) OPENS THE ACADEMY AT SORA;
MAR-SAMUEL, principal of the academy at Nahardea,
declares the law of the land binding on the
Jews.

225. _Judah II_, son of Gamaliel III, president of the
Synhedrion, influences Alexander Severus to revive
the privileges of the Jews, and mitigates the
rigor of the Law.

Jochanan bar Napacha, _Simon ben Lakish_, and Joshua
ben Levi, Palestinian Amoraim.

247. _Huna_, principal of the Sora academy.

JUDAH BEN EZEKIEL FOUNDS AN ACADEMY AT PUMBEDITHA.

259. Odenathus destroys Nahardea. _Sheshet founds an
academy at Silhi._

279. _Ami and Assi_, heads of the college of Tiberias.

280. Judah III, son of Judah II, Patriarch, collects a
tax from foreign communities.

297. Judah ben Ezekiel, general Resh Metibta (principal
of both Sora and Pumbeditha).

299. Chasda principal of the Sora academy; Huna ben
Chiya, of the Pumbeditha academy.

309. _Rabba bar Nachmani_, principal of Pumbeditha; Rabba
bar Huna, principal of Sora.

315. _Emperor Constantine issues the first of his
anti-Jewish decrees._

320. _The Council of Illiberis (Spain) forbids
intercourse between Jews and Christians_.

325. The first _Church Council at Nice_ completely severs
Judaism and Christianity by making _the
celebration of Easter independent of the Jewish
calendar_.

327. Teachers of the Law banished from Palestine by
Constantine.

330. _Joseph ben Chiya_, principal of the Pumbeditha
academy, makes a Chaldaic translation of the
Prophets.

333. Abayi Nachmani, principal of Pumbeditha.

338. _Raba bar Joseph bar Chama, principal of the academy
at Machuza._

339. _Constantius forbids the marriage of a Jew with a
Christian woman, and the circumcision of Christian
and heathen slaves, under the penalty of death._

351. Religious persecutions in Palestine by the emperors
Constantius and Gallus and the Roman general
Ursicinus.

352. Nachman ben Isaac, principal of the Pumbeditha
academy.

355. _Papa bar Chanan founds an academy at Nares._

356. Chama of Nahardea, principal of the Pumbeditha
academy.

359. HILLEL II, PATRIARCH, INTRODUCES A FINAL, FIXED
CALENDAR.

361. Restoration of the Temple at Jerusalem under Julian
the Apostate.

364. Valentinian I and Valens extend toleration to the
Jews.

375. ASHI, THE REDACTOR OF THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD,
restores the Sora academy. At about this time THE
PALESTINIAN, OR JERUSALEM, TALMUD IS COMPLETED.

390. Amemar re-opens an academy at Nahardea.

393. Theodosius I confirms the exceptional position of
the Jews in the Roman empire.

400. Moses, the false Messiah of Crete.

415. Gamaliel VI deposed by Theodosius II.

Cyril, bishop of Alexandria, drives the Jews from
Alexandria.

Jews excluded from state offices in the Empire of
the East under Theodosius II.

425. EXTINCTION OF THE PATRIARCHATE.

427. DEATH OF ASHI, who, in the latter half of his life,
collected and arranged the explanations,
deductions, and amplifications of the Mishna,
included under the name =Talmud= (=Babylonian
Talmud=).

455. Persecution of the Babylonian Jews under Jezdijird
III.

_Mar bar Ashi continues the compilation of the
Talmud._

465. The Council of Vannes (Gaul) prohibits the clergy
from taking part in Jewish banquets.

471. Persecution of the Babylonian Jews under Firuz
(Pheroces). The Exilarch Huna Mari and others
suffer martyrdom.

490. Babylonian Jews emigrate to India under Joseph
Rabban, and found a little _Jewish state in
Cranganor_.

499. Death of Rabina, the last of the Amoraim; COMPLETION
OF THE TALMUD COLLECTION.

500(about). _Abu-Kariba, Himyarite king, adopts Judaism_, and
converts his army and his people.

511. Mar-Zutra II, Prince of the Captivity (Exilarch),
establishes an independent Jewish state in
Babylonia under the Persian king Kobad.

517. _The Council of Epaone forbids Christians to take
part in Jewish banquets._

518. Persecution of the Jews by Kobad, king of Persia.

530. Death of Zorah Yussuf Dhu-Nowas, _last Jewish
Himyarite king_.

531. Giza in Sora and Semuna in Pumbeditha, the last
Saboraim.

532. Justinian I decrees that _the testimony of Jews
shall be valid only in Jewish cases_.

538. _The Council of Orleans forbids Jews to appear on
the street at Eastertide._

=550=(about). =Final redaction of the Babylonian Talmud.=