Interaction and Conflict between Jewish and Zoroastrian Clergy in Sasanian Babylonia based on the Babylonian Talmud

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 PhD student in Ancient Iranian History, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 PhD candidate in History of Islamic Iran, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
The Babylonian Talmud, as one of the central texts of Rabbinic Judaism, reflects significant aspects of Jewish life in Sasanian Babylonia and their encounters with Iranian culture and religion. This study examines how the Talmud represents the Iranian population of Babylonia and how such representations intersect with processes of Jewish identity formation. Focusing on the Talmud’s interpretive and discursive strategies toward the Iranian “Other,” it investigates to what extent these portrayals mirror historical realities and to what extent they constitute exegetical and theological reconstructions. Employing a contextual and hermeneutic methodology, and drawing on Talmudic passages, biblical traditions, and selected Pahlavi sources, the article argues that the Bavli constructs a multilayered and at times contradictory image of the Iranians: Sasanian kings are often depicted through a pragmatic lens, while Zoroastrian priests appear primarily as religious rivals. These representations, rather than offering straightforward historical evidence, serve to delineate communal boundaries and reinforce rabbinic authority. Understanding this complex discourse is essential for reassessing Jewish–Iranian relations in the Sasanian period.

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  • Receive Date 22 April 2026
  • Revise Date 18 July 2026
  • Accept Date 20 July 2026