Huna ben Nathan
HUNA BEN NATHAN
HUNA BEN NATHAN (fourth–beginning of fifth century), Babylonian amora. Huna was also *exilarch (Iggeret Sherira Ga'on, ed. Levin p. 91). Though indeed "scholarship and high office were combined in him" he subordinated himself to R. *Ashi (Git. 59a). According to a tradition cited in Mo'ed Katan (28a; see the Munich Mss. ibid.) he succeeded Ashi on the latter's death. He was held in high esteem by Yezdegerd I, the Persian king (Zev. 19a). His halakhic sayings are frequently quoted in the Talmud (Shab. 116b, et al.), and he had halakhic discussions with *Rava, whose sayings he transmitted (Ned. 12a, et al.). He was also associated with *Naḥman b. Isaac, R. *Papa, and with Ameimar in Nehardea, who permitted him to marry a wife from Be-Ḥozai (Pes. 86b; Ber. 42a; Kid. 72b. et al.). Such was his fame that his father used to be referred to as "Nathan, the father of Huna b. Nathan" (Pes. 117b).
bibliography:
Hyman, Toledot, s.v.; Ḥ. Albeck, Mavo la-Talmudim (1969), 431–2.
[Yitzhak Dov Gilat]