he
office into contempt, and caused the Emperor Honorius in one of his laws
to brand them as "Devastators." Still, with a loyal affection to the race
of Israel, the Jews, wherever scattered in the West, looked to Tiberias as
their Zion, and willingly taxed themselves for the support of its
Rabbinical schools. The Jews in the East regarded the Prince of the
Captivity or Patriarch of Babylon as their centre and chief. He rose to
power between the abandonment of the Mesopotamian provinces by Hadrian and
the rise of the Persian kingdom. He presided over his subjects with
viceregal power and a splendid court. Rabbis were his satraps, and the
wise and learned his officers and councillors. Wealth flowed in upon his
people, who were engaged in every kind of commerce. One of his merchants
in Babylon was said to have had 1,000 vessels on sea and 1,000 cities on
shore. There was for a time a spirit of rivalry between the spiritual
courts of Tiberias and Babylon.

On one occasion there was an open schism about the calculation of the
Paschal feast. The struggle for supremacy took place when Simon, son of
Gamaliel, who claimed descent from Aaron, was Patriarch of Tiberias, and
Ahia, who claimed descent from King David, was Prince of the Captivity.
His two most learned men were Hananiah, the rector of Nahar-pakod, and
Judah, son of Bethuriah. To humble these men was the aim of Simon.
Accordingly he sent two legates with three letters to Babylon. The first
letter was given to Hananiah. It was addressed, "To your holiness."
Flattered by the title, he politely asked the reason of their visit. "To
learn your system of instruction." Still more gratified, he paid them
every attention. Availing themselves of their advantage, the legates used
every effort to undermine his teaching and lessen his authority. Hananiah,
enraged by their conduct, summoned an assembly, and denounced their
treachery. The people cried out, "That which thou hast built, thou canst
not so soon pull down; the hedge which thou hast planted, thou canst not
pluck up without injury to thyself." Hananiah demanded their objections to
his teaching. They answered, "Thou hast dared to fix intercalations and
new moons, by which nonconformity has arisen between Babylon and
Palestine." "So did Rabbi Akiba," said Hananiah, "when in Babylon."
"Akiba," they replied, "left not his like in Palestine." "Neither," cried
Hananiah, "have I left my equal in Palestine." The legates then produce