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Judeans in Babylonia
A Study of Deportees in the Sixth and Fifth Centuries BCE
Series: - Culture and History of the Ancient Near East, Volume: 109
Author:
In Judeans in Babylonia, Tero Alstola presents a comprehensive investigation of deportees in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. By using cuneiform documents as his sources, he offers the first book-length social historical study of the Babylonian Exile, commonly regarded as a pivotal period in the development of Judaism.
The results are considered in the light of the wider Babylonian society and contrasted against a comparison group of Neirabian deportees. Studying texts from the cities and countryside and tracking developments over time, Alstola shows that there was notable diversity in the Judeansâ socio-economic status and integration into Babylonian society.
The results are considered in the light of the wider Babylonian society and contrasted against a comparison group of Neirabian deportees. Studying texts from the cities and countryside and tracking developments over time, Alstola shows that there was notable diversity in the Judeansâ socio-economic status and integration into Babylonian society.
Tero Alstola, Ph.D. (2017), Leiden University, is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires. His research interests cover digital humanities and the social history of Mesopotamia.
âAcknowledgements
âList of Figures and Tables
âConventions and Abbreviationsxii
â1Introduction
â1.1Aims and Relevance of This Study
â1.2Historical Background
ââ1.2.1âPolitical History
ââ1.2.2âForced and Voluntary Migration in the Ancient Near East
ââ1.2.3âDeportations from Judah to Babylonia
ââ1.2.4âBabylonian Society
â1.3Babylonian Exile: Reception and Research History
ââ1.3.1âReception History
ââ1.3.2âResearch History
â1.4Sources
ââ1.4.1âThe Hebrew Bible
ââ1.4.2âCuneiform Sources
â1.4.2.1Archival Approach
â1.4.2.2Ethics and Unprovenanced Artefacts
â1.4.2.3Text Groups
ââ1.4.3âArchaeology
â1.5Identifying Foreigners in Babylonian Sources
ââ1.5.1âNaming Practices in Babylonia
ââ1.5.2âYahwistic Names as the Criterion for Identifying Judeans
â2Judean Royalty and Professionals in Babylon
â2.1Introduction
â2.2German Excavations at Babylon
â2.3The Palace Archive of NebuchadnezzarII
â2.4Foreign Royalty and Professionals in Babylon
â2.5Living Conditions in Babylon and Jehoiachinâs Amnesty
â2.6Conclusion
â3Judean Merchants in Babylonia
â3.1Introduction
â3.2Trade and Traders in Babylonia
â3.3Judean Royal Merchants in Sippar
ââ3.3.1âSources
ââ3.3.2âSocial Network
ââ3.3.3âIdentity, Integration, and Socio-Economic Status
â3.4Other Judean Merchants in Babylonia
â3.5Conclusion: Long-Distance Trade and Judean Merchants
â4Texts from YÄhÅ«du, NaÅ¡ar, and Their Surroundings
â4.1Introduction
â4.2Geographical and Economic Environment
ââ4.2.1âThe Location of YÄhÅ«du and NaÅ¡ar
ââ4.2.2âThe Land-for-Service Sector â Economic Environment of the Texts
â4.3Text Groups and Their Protagonists
ââ4.3.1âThree or More Groups?
ââ4.3.2âTexts Pertaining to RÄ«mÅ«t/AbÄ«-ul-Ä«de and RÄ«mÅ«t/Samak-YÄma
ââ4.3.3âTexts Pertaining to AhÄ«qar, Son of RÄ«mÅ«t
ââ4.3.4âTexts Pertaining to BÄl-ahhÄ-erÄ«ba, Son of NÅ«r-Å amaÅ¡
ââ4.3.5âScribes and Royal Administration in NaÅ¡ar
ââ4.3.6âTexts Relating to YÄhÅ«du
â4.3.6.1General Remarks
â4.3.6.2Early Texts Relating to YÄhÅ«du
â4.3.6.3Texts Pertaining to AhÄ«qam/RapÄ-YÄma and His Sons
â4.3.6.4Royal Administration in the Environs of YÄhÅ«du
ââ4.3.7âTexts from Äl-Å¡arri
ââ4.3.8âTexts Pertaining to Zababa-Å¡ar-uá¹£ur and BÄ«t-AbÄ«-râm
ââ4.3.9âLoosely Connected and Isolated Texts
ââ4.3.10âAdministrative Practices and the Origins of the Text Corpus
â4.4Judeans in YÄhÅ«du and Its Surroundings
â5Judeans in the Murašû Archive
â5.1Introduction
ââ5.1.1âThe Murašû Archive
ââ5.1.2âJudeans in the Murašû Archive
ââ5.1.3âSeal Impressions
â5.2Yadi-YÄma and Pili-YÄma â Entrepreneurs or Representatives?
ââ5.2.1âBusiness Partners of the Murašûs?
ââ5.2.2âYadi-YÄma and the Village of BÄ«t-GÄrÄya
ââ5.2.3âPili-YÄmaâs Transactions
ââ5.2.4âYÄhû-natan, Son of Yadi-YÄma
ââ5.2.5âRepresentatives of a Community of Farmers
â5.3Judean Landholders and the Land-for-Service Sector
ââ5.3.1âGeneral Features
ââ5.3.2âHaá¹ru of the SÄpirus
â5.3.2.1Haá¹rus in the Murašû Archive
â5.3.2.2Haá¹ru of the SÄpirus (of the Troops)
â5.3.2.3Haá¹rus and High-Ranking SÄpirus
â5.3.2.4Conclusion
ââ5.3.3âLarge-Scale Landholding: RahÄ«m-il and His Family
ââ5.3.4âOther Judean Landholders
ââ5.3.5âPatterns of Judean Landholding
â5.4Judean Officials
â5.5Judean Witnesses
â5.6Socio-Economic Status
ââ5.6.1âThe Framework of the Archive: The Land-for-Service Sector
ââ5.6.2âTaxation and Service Obligations
ââ5.6.3âDependency and Freedom
â5.7Culture
ââ5.7.1âSeal Use
ââ5.7.2âNaming Practices
ââ5.7.3âConclusion
â5.8Conclusion
â6Judeans Outside the Main Archives
â6.1Officials
â6.2Temples
â6.3Royal Lands and the Land-for-Service Sector
â6.4Miscellaneous Texts
â6.5Seals of Exiles
â6.6Conclusion
â7The Neirabian Community in Babylonia
â7.1Neirab of Syria and Neirab of Babylonia
â7.2The Archive and Its Socio-Economic Context
ââ7.2.1âThe Protagonists of the Texts
ââ7.2.2âPromissory Notes for Barley
ââ7.2.3âPromissory Notes for Silver
ââ7.2.4âDiverse Documents
â7.3Conclusion
â8Conclusions
â8.1Sources â The Perspective of Babylonian Scribes
â8.2Resettlement and Organisation of Deportees
â8.3Social and Economic Aspects of Life in Babylonia
â8.4Women
â8.5Religion
â8.6Identity and Integration
âResearch Data
âBibliographical Abbreviations
âBibliography
âList of Figures and Tables
âConventions and Abbreviations
â1Introduction
â1.1Aims and Relevance of This Study
â1.2Historical Background
ââ1.2.1âPolitical History
ââ1.2.2âForced and Voluntary Migration in the Ancient Near East
ââ1.2.3âDeportations from Judah to Babylonia
ââ1.2.4âBabylonian Society
â1.3Babylonian Exile: Reception and Research History
ââ1.3.1âReception History
ââ1.3.2âResearch History
â1.4Sources
ââ1.4.1âThe Hebrew Bible
ââ1.4.2âCuneiform Sources
â1.4.2.1Archival Approach
â1.4.2.2Ethics and Unprovenanced Artefacts
â1.4.2.3Text Groups
ââ1.4.3âArchaeology
â1.5Identifying Foreigners in Babylonian Sources
ââ1.5.1âNaming Practices in Babylonia
ââ1.5.2âYahwistic Names as the Criterion for Identifying Judeans
â2Judean Royalty and Professionals in Babylon
â2.1Introduction
â2.2German Excavations at Babylon
â2.3The Palace Archive of Nebuchadnezzar
â2.4Foreign Royalty and Professionals in Babylon
â2.5Living Conditions in Babylon and Jehoiachinâs Amnesty
â2.6Conclusion
â3Judean Merchants in Babylonia
â3.1Introduction
â3.2Trade and Traders in Babylonia
â3.3Judean Royal Merchants in Sippar
ââ3.3.1âSources
ââ3.3.2âSocial Network
ââ3.3.3âIdentity, Integration, and Socio-Economic Status
â3.4Other Judean Merchants in Babylonia
â3.5Conclusion: Long-Distance Trade and Judean Merchants
â4Texts from YÄhÅ«du, NaÅ¡ar, and Their Surroundings
â4.1Introduction
â4.2Geographical and Economic Environment
ââ4.2.1âThe Location of YÄhÅ«du and NaÅ¡ar
ââ4.2.2âThe Land-for-Service Sector â Economic Environment of the Texts
â4.3Text Groups and Their Protagonists
ââ4.3.1âThree or More Groups?
ââ4.3.2âTexts Pertaining to RÄ«mÅ«t/AbÄ«-ul-Ä«de and RÄ«mÅ«t/Samak-YÄma
ââ4.3.3âTexts Pertaining to AhÄ«qar, Son of RÄ«mÅ«t
ââ4.3.4âTexts Pertaining to BÄl-ahhÄ-erÄ«ba, Son of NÅ«r-Å amaÅ¡
ââ4.3.5âScribes and Royal Administration in NaÅ¡ar
ââ4.3.6âTexts Relating to YÄhÅ«du
â4.3.6.1General Remarks
â4.3.6.2Early Texts Relating to YÄhÅ«du
â4.3.6.3Texts Pertaining to AhÄ«qam/RapÄ-YÄma and His Sons
â4.3.6.4Royal Administration in the Environs of YÄhÅ«du
ââ4.3.7âTexts from Äl-Å¡arri
ââ4.3.8âTexts Pertaining to Zababa-Å¡ar-uá¹£ur and BÄ«t-AbÄ«-râm
ââ4.3.9âLoosely Connected and Isolated Texts
ââ4.3.10âAdministrative Practices and the Origins of the Text Corpus
â4.4Judeans in YÄhÅ«du and Its Surroundings
â5Judeans in the Murašû Archive
â5.1Introduction
ââ5.1.1âThe Murašû Archive
ââ5.1.2âJudeans in the Murašû Archive
ââ5.1.3âSeal Impressions
â5.2Yadi-YÄma and Pili-YÄma â Entrepreneurs or Representatives?
ââ5.2.1âBusiness Partners of the Murašûs?
ââ5.2.2âYadi-YÄma and the Village of BÄ«t-GÄrÄya
ââ5.2.3âPili-YÄmaâs Transactions
ââ5.2.4âYÄhû-natan, Son of Yadi-YÄma
ââ5.2.5âRepresentatives of a Community of Farmers
â5.3Judean Landholders and the Land-for-Service Sector
ââ5.3.1âGeneral Features
ââ5.3.2âHaá¹ru of the SÄpirus
â5.3.2.1Haá¹rus in the Murašû Archive
â5.3.2.2Haá¹ru of the SÄpirus (of the Troops)
â5.3.2.3Haá¹rus and High-Ranking SÄpirus
â5.3.2.4Conclusion
ââ5.3.3âLarge-Scale Landholding: RahÄ«m-il and His Family
ââ5.3.4âOther Judean Landholders
ââ5.3.5âPatterns of Judean Landholding
â5.4Judean Officials
â5.5Judean Witnesses
â5.6Socio-Economic Status
ââ5.6.1âThe Framework of the Archive: The Land-for-Service Sector
ââ5.6.2âTaxation and Service Obligations
ââ5.6.3âDependency and Freedom
â5.7Culture
ââ5.7.1âSeal Use
ââ5.7.2âNaming Practices
ââ5.7.3âConclusion
â5.8Conclusion
â6Judeans Outside the Main Archives
â6.1Officials
â6.2Temples
â6.3Royal Lands and the Land-for-Service Sector
â6.4Miscellaneous Texts
â6.5Seals of Exiles
â6.6Conclusion
â7The Neirabian Community in Babylonia
â7.1Neirab of Syria and Neirab of Babylonia
â7.2The Archive and Its Socio-Economic Context
ââ7.2.1âThe Protagonists of the Texts
ââ7.2.2âPromissory Notes for Barley
ââ7.2.3âPromissory Notes for Silver
ââ7.2.4âDiverse Documents
â7.3Conclusion
â8Conclusions
â8.1Sources â The Perspective of Babylonian Scribes
â8.2Resettlement and Organisation of Deportees
â8.3Social and Economic Aspects of Life in Babylonia
â8.4Women
â8.5Religion
â8.6Identity and Integration
âResearch Data
âBibliographical Abbreviations
âBibliography
All interested in the history of Judaism, social history of the ancient Near East, and migration studies, including scholars in Biblical studies and Assyriology.