HISTORY OF THE JEWS IN BABYLONIA, VOL. 1, THE PARTHIAN PERIOD.

By Prof. Jacob Neusner (Religion). Leiden, Holland: E. J. BrillPublishing Co., 1965. 236 pp.

When Nebuchadnezzar exiled a large number of Jerusalem Jews to Babylonia (586 before common era), he unwittingly helped create one of the most significant religious communities of all time: Babylonia Jewry. A growing and prospering civilization sprang up in exile and by the third century of the common era was the recognized center of Judaism throughout the ancient world. For several centuries thereafter, the Jews in Babylonia vigorously exercised a leadership over their co-religionists and developed theological and legal traditions which have ever after decisively influenced the Jewish religion.

Despite the importance of this community, its history has only rarely been treated in detail, partly because of the lack of source material, partly because most scholars who have investigated the material that is available have been more interested, in religious than historical questions. To rectify this serious gap, Jacob Neusner of the Department of Religion has projected a five-volume History of the Jews in Babylonia, of which Volume I, The Parthian Period, has now appeared. Volume II is already in press. Volume I covers the entire Parthian period of supremacy in Babylonia, from 140 b.c.e. to 227 c.e. Neusner here matches wits with the extreme paucity of direct evidence and in brilliant fashion marshals material from Parthian, Greek, and Roman history to complement his Jewish sources, which are mostly Josephus and the rabbis.

Though the nature of the evidence often prohibits overwhelming certainty about the positions accepted by the author, the lucidity of style and argument consistently convinces the reader of the plausibility of the arguments. Certainly the book is rich in information and insight into Jewish history, not only Babylonia but of Palestine as well.

The Jewish community, Neusner argues, was well liked and respected by the Parthian rulers. A consistently harmonious relationship between Parthian and Jew was maintained in part by common interests, one of which was opposition to Rome. While the Jews adopted some Parthian customs, they maintained their own religious traditions, at least in the earlier period, independently of Palestine. Jewish self-government in Babylonia (the exilarchate) arose during these times and can be traced, the author believes, to as early as the end of the first century c.e.

Much attention is given to the important and complex problem of the relation of Babylonian with Palestinian Jewry. Here, in one of the most interesting sections of the book, Neusner describes the beginnings of Palestinian (Tannaitic) Jewish influence in the Babylonian community. The sketches of the key rabbis involved in the intellectual encounters of the two communities are fascinating and constantly bring the reader back to the human factor which lies behind all movements of history.

The start is auspicious. We look forward to the succeeding volumes with great expectancy. When completed, the set should Prove to be an indispensable guide for all those concerned with the history and culture of the Near East, as well as with any aspect of classical or later Judaism.

Assistant Professor of Religion