Holy Men, Sages, Mystics, Exorcists

The rabbis of late antiquity performed various roles in Jewish religious and civic life. The rabbis of Babylonia, like their counterparts in the land of Israel, were seen as or functioned as holy men , sages, mystics , exorcists , lawyers, judges, and as community organizers. The rabbis were honored and feared by many, but they were also despised and rejected by others. Their authority is often overstated and was only valid for those willing to support their enactments. The rabbis crossed hereditary, financial, and social classes and based their authority on their mastery of Torah knowledge. Their power was significant in many ways and incredibly limited in others. In the end, rabbinic authority was limited by the extent to which the local populace accepted their jurisdiction and the degree to which the Persian and Roman ruling authorities allowed them to operate.