person · P0360

Rav Abba bar Dodai מר רב אבא בריה דרב דודאי

Gaon of Pumbedita from 773, son of Dodai bar Nachman and another of Sherira's ancestors ("our ancestor"); nephew of Yehudai Gaon of Sura.

I. Who

Hebrew
מר רב אבא בריה דרב דודאי
Era
geonim
Parents
Rav Dodai bar Nachman

II. When

Traditional
gaon of Pumbedita from 4533 AM (Seleucid 1084)
Academic
gaon from 773 CE
Lifespan (traditional)
≈65 years
Precision
approximate

III. Where

Places
Pumbedita

V. How do we know

ClaimEvidenceConfidenceSources
"And after Rav Malka, Mar Rav Abba son of Rav Dodai, our ancestor, in the year [10]84" (773 CE).
Accession year per the Iggeret; his short-lived successor Shinoi carries no years, so the tenure end is left open before the next anchor (782).
tradition ★★★★☆
No source names his teacher; his father Rav Dodai bar Nachman — himself a head of the academy per the Iggeret — stood at the head of his formation, and Rav Yosef bar Kitnai and Rav Shmuel bar Mar held the chair through his formative window (c. 4498–4518 AM). Kinship the Iggeret states; reception it does not — recorded as inference one remove from attestation.
Derived by era-and-institution (and household) inference, not attested.
reconstruction ★★☆☆☆