Nathan ben Isaac HaBabli

Nathan ben Isaac HaBabli was a Jewish historian from Babylon who lived during the 10th century. His work focused on documenting the history of his community, and he is notable for authoring a comprehensive account of the exilarchate. This historical work, titled Aḫbār Baġdād, provides valuable insights into the life of Mar Ukba, a significant figure in Jewish history.

Although Nathan's original work has not survived in its entirety, extracts from his history have been preserved and published by later scholars. Samuel Shullam included excerpts from Aḫbār Baġdād in his edition of Zacuto's Yuḥasin, while A. Neubauer also published portions of the text. Additionally, an Arabic fragment of Nathan's work was published by Israel Friedlander, providing further evidence of his historical contributions. Through these surviving fragments, Nathan ben Isaac HaBabli's work remains an important source of information on the history of the exilarchate and the Jewish community in Babylon.