Who was Anan ben David?
Anan ben David was the nephew of the Exil- arch Solomon. About the year 760, the Exilarch Sol- 24 GREAT FIGURES AND EVENTS onion died without leaving any children. As the office of exilarch had been hereditary since the time of Bos- tanal (640), the position should have gone to the next of kin, to his nephew, Anan ben David, the most capable and learned man of the exilarch’s family. The two gaonim of the colleges of Sura and Pumpeditha, in whom the power of appointment was vested, passed Anan by, and, in his stead, installed Anan’s younger brother in the office. Anan thereupon proclaimed him- self exilarch. The Caliph, who regarded Anan’s act as rebellious, imprisoned him and condemned him to be put to death. In prison Anan met a Moslem, who advised him to inform the Caliph that he was the founder of a new religious body, and whose religion agreed with Islam on many points. Anan was accord- ingly released and permitted to go to Palestine. 5. What was the result of this conflict ? Anan
