Babylonian Commoners in Amoraic Palestine

Numerous Babylonians immigrated to Palestine during the Amoraic period. Although the majority of Talmudic material stresses the role of the Sages and Rabbis in this immigration, a number of Talmudic traditions also record a large immigration of Babylonian commoners. These traditions are most unusual in that they increase our store of knowledge regarding aspects of demography of the ancient world which are now far from clear. The immigration traditions, supplemented by archaeological evidence, point to established Babylonian communities in most of the large centers of Palestine and especially to those connected with the international textile and silk trade.