Sutra I
Encyclopedia
Mar-Zutra III, also called Mar-Zutra bar Mar-Zutra, according to the Seder Olam Zutta
, was the posthumous and only son of the 30th Exilarch of Babylon
, Mar-Zutra II. He lived at the beginning of the Savora
period. Mar-Zutra II had been crucified on the bridge of Mahuza by King Kavadh I
for trying to obtain by force of arms a sort of political independence for the Jews of Babylon. Mar-Zutra III, who was born on the same day as his father's death, did not attain the office of exilarch. He was raised secretly and traveled in 520 CE, aged 18, to Palestine where he became head of the Academy of Tiberias or "Sanhedrin
", under the title of "Resh Pirka" ('Aρχιφεκίτησ), several generations of his descendants succeeding him in this office. This new dynasty of Palestinian Nesi'im
, circa 550, ended the interim that followed the deposition of Gamaliel VI
a century earlier.
Seder Olam Zutta
Seder Olam Zutta is an anonymous chronicle from 804 CE, called "Zuṭa" to distinguish it from the older Seder 'Olam Rabbah. This work is based upon, and to a certain extent completes and continues, the older chronicle...
, was the posthumous and only son of the 30th Exilarch of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
, Mar-Zutra II. He lived at the beginning of the Savora
Savora
A Savora is a term used in Jewish law and history to signify one among the leading rabbis living from the end of period of the Amoraim to the beginning of the Geonim...
period. Mar-Zutra II had been crucified on the bridge of Mahuza by King Kavadh I
Kavadh I
Kavad or Kavadh I was the son of Peroz I and the nineteenth Sassanid king of Persia, reigning from 488 to 531...
for trying to obtain by force of arms a sort of political independence for the Jews of Babylon. Mar-Zutra III, who was born on the same day as his father's death, did not attain the office of exilarch. He was raised secretly and traveled in 520 CE, aged 18, to Palestine where he became head of the Academy of Tiberias or "Sanhedrin
Sanhedrin
The Sanhedrin was an assembly of twenty-three judges appointed in every city in the Biblical Land of Israel.The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel made of 71 members...
", under the title of "Resh Pirka" ('Aρχιφεκίτησ), several generations of his descendants succeeding him in this office. This new dynasty of Palestinian Nesi'im
Nasi
Nāśī’ is a Hebrew title meaning prince in Biblical Hebrew, Prince in Mishnaic Hebrew, or president in Modern Hebrew.-Genesis and Ancient Israel:...
, circa 550, ended the interim that followed the deposition of Gamaliel VI
Gamaliel VI
Gamaliel VI was the last nasi of the ancient Sanhedrin.Gamaliel came into office around the year 400. On 17 October 415, an edict issued by the Emperors Honorius and Theodosius II deposed Gamaliel as nasi because he had disregarded an earlier decree by Honorius, which had curtailed his privileges...
a century earlier.