PUMBÉDITÀ. - A city in Babylonia, near the Euphrates; for approximately eight centuries it was the seat of a celebrated Talmudic academy, founded around A.D. 260.
The persecutions of the Jews by the Persians in the fifth century led to a temporary closure of the institution,
which was then reopened and subsequently closed again. The Babylonian Talmudic schools enjoyed a period of peaceful existence in the seventh century, under the caliph 'All. At that time the heads of the schools assumed the title of « gaonites ». For three centuries the two schools of Sūrā and P. coexisted.
The academy of Sūrā was closed after the death of Sa'adhāh (948), whereas that of P. continued for another century. Among the last gaonites of P. should be counted Śērīrah (968-98) and his son Maj (998-1038). After the latter’s death, the academy of P. too was closed.