Sasanian Jewry and Its Culture: A Lexicon of Jewish and Related Seals

by Daniel M. Friedenberg, Norman Golb (Introduction)

Overview

The Sasanian Empire began in 226 C.E., when Ardashir, a Persian satrap, revolted against his Parthian overlords. Occupying the territories now divided among Iran and Iraq, and for brief periods Syria and Armenia, the empire engaged in intermittent warfare with Rome and Byzantium and was beset by internal strife as kings sought to impose Zoroastrianism upon the population and fought each other for power. In 640 C.E. the empire succumbed to the Arab invaders.

Within the empire lived large communities of Jews, whose sheer numbers were considerably greater than the Jewish population of Byzantium. It was within the Sasanian Empire that the great Babylonian Talmud was assembled, yet Jewish relics are scarce. One of the most significant material remnants of Jewish life are seals, almost all of which are signet whose styles, inscriptions, and sites of discovery provide important clues about the size and status of Jewish populations throughout the empire. Seals show how Jews within the empire adopted or resisted certain Sasanian symbols and sustained traditional Jewish motifs such as the lulab and etrog.

This volume presents fifty-seven Jewish seals from the Sasanian Empire, as well as comparative Zoroastrian and Christian seals. The text identifies their provenance (if known), translates their inscriptions, and organizes them by their depiction or reference.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780252033674
Publisher:	University of Illinois Press
Publication date:	03/24/2009
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Daniel M. Friedenberg is the president of John-Platt Enterprises. A recipient of the Heath Literary Award for Distinguished Numismatic Achievement, he is the former curator of coins and medals for the Jewish Museum, New York. His books include Great Jewish Portraits in Metal and Medieval Jewish Seals from Europe.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS   xi
GENERAL NOTES   xiii
INTRODUCTION
Observations on the Jews of the Sasanian Empire   i
NORMAN GOLB
1 A Brief Historical Review   5
2 The Jewish Academies   11
3 Jewish Names on Sasanian Seals   13
4 The Nature and Function of Sasanian Seals   17
5 Old Testament Themes   23
6 Description of Seals   27

Seals of the Lulab and Etrog
1. Seal of Mari Son of Samuel (Jewish)   27
2. Seal of Isaac Son of Papa (Jewish)   28
3. Seal of Judah - Son of Abba (Jewish)   28
4. Seal of Abbua (Jewish)   29
5. Seal of Ahawa Son of Zachary (Jewish)   29
6. Seal of Joseph (Jewish)   30
7. Seal Without Inscription (Jewish)   31
8. Seal of Hilkiah Son of Samuel (Jewish)   31
9. Seal of Huna Son of Nathan (Jewish)   31
10. Seal of Samuel   32
11. Seal of Levi Son of Simon (Jewish)   32

Seals of Abraham's Binding of Isaac and Related Scenes
12. Seal of Hillel Son of Menasseh (Jewish)   33
13. Seal of Jacob Son of Judah (Jewish)   34
14. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham's Binding of Isaac (Probably Christian)   35
15. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham's Binding of Isaac (Probably Christian)   35
16. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham with Cross on Altar (Christian)   36
17. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham with Cross over Altar (Christian)   36
18. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham with Cross over Altar (Christian)   37
19. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham Holding Isaac (Probably Christian)   37
20. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham with Crosses (Christian)   38
21. Seal with Latin Inscription: Abraham's Binding of Isaac (Christian)   38
22. Seal Without Inscription: Fire Altar and Priest (Zoroastrian)   39
23. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham's Binding of Isaac(?) (Unidentifiable)   39
24. Seal Without Inscription: Abraham's Binding of Isaac(?) (Unidentifiable)   40
25. Seal Without Inscription: Zoroastrian Worship (Zoroastrian)   40
26. Seal Without Inscription: Scene of Worship (Probably Zoroastrian)   41

Seals of the Human Figure
27. Seal of Joseph Son of Nata (Jewish)   41
28. Seal of Isaac Son of Adda (Jewish)   42
29. Seal of Ityonah Yoniya (or Ye'udia) (Jewish)   43

Seals of Animals and Other Life Forms
30. Seal of Hunay (Jewish)   44
31. Seal Without Inscription: Two Standing Rams (Probably Zoroastrian)   44
32. Seal of Isaac Son of Judah (Jewish)   45
33. Seal of Huna Son of Samuel (Jewish)   45
34. Seal of Hada Son of Hiyya (Jewish)   46
35. Seal of Jonah (Jewish)   46
36. Seal of Ibrami(?) (Jewish)   47
37. Seal of Abba (Jewish)   48
38. Seal of Shem Son of Hunar (Jewish)   48
39. Seal of ‘Uqba Son of Papa (Jewish)   49
40. Seal of Samuel Son of Yosha Tov(?) (Jewish)   49
41. Seal of Vashish(?) (Jewish)   50

Seals of Family Devices
42. Seal of Abba Son of Malka(?) (Jewish)   51
43. Seal of Aha Son of Sumaqa (Jewish)   52

Miscellaneous and Dubious Seals
44. Seal of John (Jewish)   53
45. Seal of Yoash the Dayyan Son of Judah(?) (Jewish)   53
46. Seal of Isaac Son of Moses (Jewish)   54
47. Seal of Yosine Arcohen [Chief Priest] Son of Iyf ... Shalom (Jewish)   54
48. Seal of Samuel Son of Isaac Rabba (Jewish)   55

Fantasy Seals on the Theme of the Binding of Isaac
49. Fantasy Seal on the Theme of the Binding of Isaac   56
50. A Second Fantasy Seal on the Aqedah Theme (Jewish)   56
51. A Third Fantasy Seal on the Aqedah Theme (Jewish)   57

Seals of Daniel in the Lions' Den
52. Seal Showing Daniel in the Lions' Den (Christian or Probably Christian)   58
53. Seal Showing Daniel in the Lions' Den (Christian or Probably Christian)   58
54. Seal Showing Daniel in the Lions' Den (Christian or Probably Christian)   59
55. Seal Showing Daniel in the Lions' Den (Christian or Probably Christian)   59
56. Seal Showing Daniel in the Lions' Den (Christian or Probably Christian)   60
57. Seal Showing Daniel in the Lions' Den (Christian or Probably Christian)   60
7 Specific Character of the Known Sasanian Jewish Seals   61
NOTES   63
BIBLIOGRAPHY   67
INDEX   71

Editorial Reviews

"This book should be in any research library for ancient Near Eastern, Iranian, or Jewish history. It will be a useful reference for archaeologists and historians of society, art, religion and commercial practice in those fields."—Michael L. Bates, curator emeritus of Islamic coins, American Numismatic Society

"Friedenberg sets out to catalogue the Jewish seals of the Sasanian Empire, providing some introductory material by way of background and orientation. The access to primary sources, especially recondite ones, is a foundational service of publication. This kind of scholarship holds a special place in our work."—Joshua Holo, director of the Louchheim School of Judaic Studies and associate professor of Jewish history, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles

From the Publisher