EXILARCH, in Jewish history, "Chief, or Prince, of the Captivity." The Jews of Babylonia, after the destruction of the First Temple, were termed the people of the "Exile." Hence the head of the Babylonian Jews was the Exilarch (in Aramaic Resh Galutha) . The office was hereditary and carried with it considerable power. The exilarch could excommunicate, appoint judges, exact taxes, and had in addition considerable secular juris diction. Some traditions regarded Jehoiachin, the captive king of Judah, as the first exilarch, and all later holders of the dignity claimed to be scions of the house of David. The office comes into prominence under the Arsacids and Sassanids. In 52o an attempt was made to secure political autonomy for the Jews by force, but the exilarch who led the movement (Mar Zutra) was executed. For some time thereafter the office was in abey ance, but it was revived under Muslim rule with enhanced dig nity. From the middle of the 7th century the exilarchs were all descendants of Bostanai (q.v.) through whom "the splendour of the office was renewed and its political position made secure" (Backer). The last exilarch of importance was David, son of Zakkai (d. 940), whose contest with Saadiah had momentous consequences. A persecution culminating in the death of his descendant Hezekiah (Io4o) put an end to the grandeur of the institution. However (contrary to what was formerly supposed), it continued sporadically until late in the 13th century, having as its counterpart the office of Nagid in Egypt and Nasi in Pales tine and elsewhere.