Ashkenazi

Origin of Ashkenazim

From Roman Empire to Dark Ages

After the forced Jewish exile from Judea in 70 CE and the complete Roman takeover of Judea following the Bar Kochba rebellion of 133-135 CE, most Jewish populations could be found dispersed throughout the Mediterranean Basin, with the largest populations in the Levant, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Greece, Southern Italy, Southern Gaul (France), Spain, and North Africa. Full Roman citizenship was denied to Jews until 212 CE, when Emperor Caracalla granted all free peoples this privilege. However as a penalty for the first Jewish Revolt, Jews were still required to pay a poll tax until the reign of Emperor Julian in 363 CE. Throughout the first three centuries of the Common Era, Jews were free to form networks of cultural and religious ties and entered into various local occupations, the most prevalent occupation being trade (due to easy mobility in the dispersed Jewish communities).

Related Topics:
Judea - Bar Kochba rebellion - Levant - Asia Minor - Mesopotamia - Greece - Italy - Gaul - Spain - North Africa - 212 CE - Caracalla - First Jewish Revolt - Poll tax - Julian - Common Era

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The Germanic invasions of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century by such tribes as the Ostrogoths, Huns, and Vandals caused massive economic and social instability within the Empire, contributing to its decline. At that time, Jews were known to have lived in Cologne and what is now France, between 300 and 600, but they were expelled by King Dagobert of the Franks in 629. The Jews in these former Roman territories now faced new challenges as harsher anti-Jewish Church rulings were being enforced. New opportunities in trade and commerce in Northern Europe (once so-called "barbarian" lands) and Christian persecution were two likely factors that influenced the migration of Jewish traders from Southern Europe to towns along the Rhine River during the early Dark Ages. When these first Ashkenazi communities came under the rule of Charlemagne (c.800) he gave the Jews in his lands freedoms similar to those once enjoyed under the Roman Empire, and these favorable conditions stimulated even more Jewish migration. This period also saw Jewish merchants taking on the occupation of money-lending when Church legislation banned Christians from the practice of "usury", defined as lending money in exchange for interest, making the Jewish presence a necessary part of the economy.

Related Topics:
Western Roman Empire - 5th century - Ostrogoths - Huns - Vandals - Cologne - France - 300 - 600 - Dagobert - Franks - 629 - Barbarian - Rhine River - Dark Ages - Charlemagne - 800 - Roman Empire - Usury - Interest

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Possible DNA Clues

DNA research on Ashkenazi origins may shed some light on the mechanism of Jewish migration from the Southern Mediterranean to the Northern European regions. One study {{ref|Hammer}} indicates that the Y chromosome of both Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews are of Middle Eastern origin, similar to Lebanese and Syrian DNA types. Since the Y chromosome is only passed from father to son, it may be used to trace Jewish male origins. Another study of Ashkenazi mitochondrial DNA {{ref|Goldstein}} (mtDNA can only be passed from mother to child) allows the tracking of maternal origins. According to this study the mtDNA generally matched that of local European populations and not Middle Eastern populations. These studies would indicate that male Jewish traders moved from Middle Eastern and Southern European communities into Northern European communities and intermarried local females in those regions.

Related Topics:
Y chromosome - Sephardic

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