institution · I0034

Academy of Machoza מתיבתא דמחוזא

The academy at Machoza on the Tigris where Rava — himself of Pumbedita — presided after Abaye's death, when the metivta came to him and the scholars of the whole world gathered before him. For fourteen years it was Bavel's single academy; on Rava's death the two-metivta order of Sura and Pumbedita resumed.

I. Who

Hebrew
מתיבתא דמחוזא
Also known as
Metivta of Machoza
Era
amoraim
Received the mesorah from
Rava

II. When

Traditional
c. 4098–4112 AM (the united metivta under Rava)
Academic
c. 338–352 CE
Duration
≈14 years
Precision
approximate

III. Where

Places
Machoza

V. How do we know

ClaimEvidenceConfidenceSources
"After Abaye, Rava reigned at Machoza, for he was of Pumbedita... the reign of Rava was much the greater and he ruled widely... and the years of Rava's reign were fourteen, and he died in the year 663 [Seleucid; 352 CE]; and in all these years of Rava there was only one metivta." tradition ★★★★☆
Machoza had housed Nehardean scholarship since the destruction of 259 CE — Rabbah bar Avuha and Rav Nachman sat there with the scholars of Nehardea — so Rava's academy gathered an existing tradition rather than founding a new one.
The band shown covers only Rava's tenure as head of the united metivta, which is what the Iggeret dates; Machoza's scholarly life before and after is recorded on the person entries (Rav Nachman, Rava).
tradition ★★★☆☆