person · P0251

Rav Huna bar Chiya רב הונא בר חייא

Head of Pumbedita in the interregnum after Rav Yehudah's death, while Rabbah and Rav Yosef each deferred the office to the other. Known to the succession almost solely through the Iggeret's tradition of the academy's own masters.

I. Who

Hebrew
רב הונא בר חייא
Era
amoraim

II. When

Traditional
head of Pumbedita c. 4059–4069 AM
Academic
head c. 299–309 CE
Lifespan (traditional)
≈69 years
Precision
approximate

III. Where

Places
Pumbedita

V. How do we know

ClaimEvidenceConfidenceSources
"We have heard from the masters of our metivta that in those years after Rav Yehudah, when Rabbah did not accept the authority, Rav Huna bar Chiya reigned at Pumbedita, and there was a great study hall there" — the Iggeret's internal academy tradition filling the gap between Rav Yehudah and Rabbah.
Attested only by the Iggeret's oral tradition ("we have heard from our masters"); the tenure is bounded by Rav Yehudah's death (Sel. 610) and Rav Chisda's (Sel. 620).
tradition ★★★★☆
No source names his teacher. Per this atlas's succession roster, Rav Yehudah held the headship of his academy during his formative window (c. 4015–4035 AM), making reception from him the likeliest reconstruction.
Derived by era-and-institution inference, not attested. The formative window is computed from this entry's schematic dates, hence the low confidence. A talmudic attestation, if one can be verified, should supersede this.
reconstruction ★☆☆☆☆