Judah ben Ezekiel establishes a Babylonian Jewish academy at the Mesopotamian town of Pumbedita, where he focuses on the study of practical daily laws.

...Pumbedita.

…the Jewish academies reopen at Sura and other Babylonian locales.

Generally, the Jews in the East enjoy relative autonomy under the Sassanid dynasty.

The complexity of argument and analysis contained in the Palestinian Talmud (CE 100-425) and the more authoritative Babylonian Talmud (called the Babli, completed around 500) reflect the high level of intellectual maturity attained by the various schools of Jewish learning.

This inward-looking intellectualism, along with a rigid adherence to the laws and rituals of Judaism, maintains the separateness of the Jewish people, enabling them to survive the exilic experience despite the lure of conversion and frequent outbreaks of anti-Jewish hostility.

The two great academies at Sura and Pumbedita become the major centers of Jewish thought.

Anbar, originally called Massice and Fairuz Sapur, had been destroyed in CE 363 by the Roman emperor Julian.

The rebuilt town becomes known from at least the sixth century as Anbar (Stores”).

Jews from the academy of Pumbedita take refuge there from Sassanian persecution in 588; it will become a Jewish center.

A Syrian Jew in Babylonia promises in 720 to recapture Palestine for the Jews, and urges that the Talmud be abolished.

Caliph Yazid II 'Umar's successor, arrests this “Messiah” and hands him over to the Jews in Pumbedita for punishment.

Gaon Natronai ben Nehemia urges the Jewish community to readmit their straying brethren into the fold and, though initially reluctant, eventually so do.

Abu al-'Abbas as-Saffah dies in 754, after only five years as caliph; the main burden of establishing the 'Abbasid caliphate thus falls upon his brother Abu Jafar al-Mansur.

Al-Mansur becomes the second caliph of the Abbasid dynasty and leader of the Asian and eastern Mediterranean Muslim community.

The Abbasid rulers reassert the theocratic concept of the caliphate and continuity with orthodox Islam as the foundation for unity and authority in the empire.

Abbasid leadership also renders Islam and the fruits of power accessible to non-Arabs; Iranians become prominent in the new caliphal government and administration.

Al-Mansur faces opposition, however, from Iran and from the Shiite Muslim sect.

Al-Mansur is largely responsible for cutting the 'Abbasids free from the movement that has brought them to power, and is involved in the murder of several leading personalities in that movement.

A danger to al-Mansur's caliphate comes from a number of revolts by ambitious army commanders.

The most serious of these is the revolt in 754 of al-Mansur's uncle, 'Abd Allah, who thinks he has better claims to the caliphate than his nephew.

The danger is only averted with the help of Abu Muslim.

Although the 'Abbasid's enthronement was largely due to Abu Muslim's military victories and political prowess, they have quickly become leery of a vassal with so much power and popularity.

With the accession of the morbidly suspicious al-Mansur, Abu Muslim's downfall is sealed.

After having Abu Muslim quell an uprising led by a rebellious uncle, al-Mansur strips away the governorship of Khorasan from him.

When Abu Muslim arrives at court, al-Mansur has him treacherously put to death, thus eliminating a potential rival for the throne.

The unavenged death of Abu Muslim, already a legendary hero to the population, inspires many later uprisings and revolts.

...Fitch and his companions travel overland to the Euphrates, which they descend to Al-Fallujah, now in Iraq, and thence ...