The verb √šmt and noun šamata, attested in the dialects of Eastern Aramaic in the Sasanian period, would seem at first to be synonymous with the Palestinian term nidui, ‘excommunication’. However, a closer examination reveals that šamata has a different semantic value. It is not simply conceived as a social sanction of excommunication but is understood as a curse involving divine violence; is closely associated with binding; and is often perceived as the property of powerful agents. In this article I argue that √šmt is derived from the Akkadian šamātu, ‘to mark’, ‘to brand’, especially in its more restricted sense ‘to brand temple slaves’ and ‘to dedicate a person to a deity’. Understanding the Mesopotamian roots of šamata might help us better explain its unique regional features, shared by the Aramaic speaking groups in the Sasanian Empire.

动词 √ šmt和名词šamata在萨珊王朝时期的东阿拉姆方言中得到证实，乍一看似乎是巴勒斯坦术语nidui 的同义词，即“逐出教会”。然而，更仔细的检查表明šamata具有不同的语义价值。它不仅被认为是对逐出教会的社会制裁，而且被理解为涉及神圣暴力的诅咒；与绑定密切相关；并且通常被视为强大代理人的财产。在本文中，我认为 √ šmt源自阿卡德语šamātu，“标记”，“烙印”，尤其是在更严格的意义上“烙印庙奴”和“将人献给神”。了解šamata的美索不达米亚根源可能有助于我们更好地解释其独特的区域特征，这些特征由萨珊帝国的亚拉姆语群体共享。