Syriac Writers to AD 451
This page contains a list of Syriac authors to AD 451. For a list extending to AD 754, click here.
References:
Barsoum, Ignatius Aphram I. The Scattered Pearls: A History of Syriac Literature and Sciences. Translated by Matti Moosa. New Jersey: Gorgias Press LLC, 2003.
Baumstark, Anton. Geschichte der syrischen Literature. Bonn: A. Marcus and E. Webe Verlag, 1922.
Burkitt, F. Crawford. Evangelion de Mepharreshe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1904.
Brock, Sebastian. Studies in Syriac Christianity. Brookfield: Variorum, 1992.
Harnack, Adolph. The Mission and Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries. Translated by James Moffat. London: Williams and Norgate, 1908.
Rosenthal, F. “The Prophecies of Baba the Harranian.” In A Locust’s Leg: Studies in Honor of S.H. Taqizadeh. Edited by W.B. Henning and E. Yarshater, 220-232. London: Percy Lund, Humphries & Co. Ltd., 1962.
Segal, J.B. Edessa: The Blessed City. New Jersey: Gorgias Press LLC, 2005.
Wright, William. A Short History of Syriac Literature. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1894.
| D | Daysanist |
| M | Monophysite |
| Me | Melkite |
| N | Nestorian |
| Z | Zoroastrian |
| Name | Dates | Writings | Region | Sect | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mara bar Serapion | Between 1st - 3rd century | letter (reference to Jesus Christ) | S | • Brock, VI 79 • Baumstark, 10 • Barsoum, 180 |
|
| Baba of Harran | Before Christian times or 255 | "Revelation" | Harran | • Rosenthal, 220-232 • Baumstark, 11 |
|
| Ahikar | 7th century B.C. | Aramaic story | • Baumstark, 11 | ||
| Bardaisan/ Bar Daysan | 154-222 | • Account of India • Polemic against Marcion and others • Astronomical works (now lost) • History of Armenia (from 216 or 217) • 150 Psalms • Book of the Light and the Darkness, Book of the Intellectuality of the Truth, Book of the Moving and the Fixed • Psalms and Praises of Solomon | Edessa | D | • Baumstark, 12-14 • Barsoum, 225-226 • Wright, 28-30 |
| Harmonius | Hymns/poems | Edessa | D | • Wright, 29 • Baumstark, 14 |
|
| Philip | Book of the Laws of the Countries | Edessa | D | • Wright, 29 • Baumstark, 14 |
|
| Ud(h)a/Ud(h)ai | Apocalyptic writing | Edessa | • Baumstark, 15-16 | ||
| Tatian | b. 110 | Compiled the Diatessaron (172/3) | Adiabene | • Baumstark, 19-20 • Barsoum, 41-43 |
|
| Palut | c. 200 | Possible translator of the Evangelion da-mepharreshe | Edessa | • Baumstark, 21 • Burkitt, 5 • Harnack, 142-145 |
|
| Melito of Sardis | • Canon of the Old Testament • “On Easter” (c. 167) • “On the corporeity of God” • Apology of Christianity written to Marcus Aurelius (c. 172) • Other doubtful or spurious works | Sardis | • Catholic Encyclopedia • Baumstark, 27 |
||
| Aswana | Early fourth century | Hymns/poems | Edessa | • Segal, 92 • Baumstark, 29 |
|
| Theopilus of Edessa | c. 302-309 | Writting on the martyrdom of Guriyya, Shamuna and Habib | Edessa | • Barsoum, 227 | |
| Isaiah bar Habdo | c. 327 | • Wrote an eye-witness account on the deaths of ten martyrs in Arzun (327) | Persia | • Barsoum, 228 | |
| Miles, bishop of Sus | d. 341 | Letters and compositions (no longer extant) | Sus | • Barsoum, 228 • Wright, 30-31 |
|
| Simon bar Sabba'I | d. 343 | • Epistles (no longer extant) • Hymns • The Book of the Fathers | Seleucia and Ctesiphon | • Barsoum, 228 • Wright, 30-31 |
|
| Apharat, the Persian | d. 364 | • The Homilies (337-346) – 22 in number • Separate homily “On the Cluster” | Persia | • Baumstark, 30-31 • Barsoum, 228-229 • Wright, 32-33 |
|
| St. Ephraim the Syrian | d. 373 | • A five-syllabic memro • Numerous madroshos (metrical songs) • Metrical testament • Metrical supplication • Other songs called Shobroyos and ‘Enyomos • Takhsheftos (supplicatory hymns) and cathismata • The Phanqitho (Book) of the Refutation of Jews and Heresies • The Phanqitho (Book) of the Martyrs of Nisibin • The Cave of Treasures • Songs of Nisibin • Commentaries on Genesis, and portions of the rest of the scriptures • Commentaries on the Diatessaron and Pauline Epistles • The Book of Opinions • Two discourses against the heretics Hypatius and Domnus • Two treatises on the love of the Most High and supplication • Additional 51 known treatises • Letter to the monks dwelling in the mountains • Stories of the apostles • Numerous memre (metrical homilies/poems) | Nisibis | • Baumstark, 31-52 • Barsoum, 229-236 • Wright, 33-37 |
|
| Aba | • Commentary on the Gospels • Homilies in the fifth-syllabic meter • Homily on Job the Righteous • A seven-syllabic ode | • Barsoum, 236 • Wright, 38 |
|||
| Zenobius | • Biography of St. Ephraim • Letters and treatises refuting Marcion and Pamphilius | • Barsoum, 236-237 • Wright, 38 |
|||
| Simon of Samosata | • Biography of St. Ephraim | • Barsoum, 237 | |||
| Julian (Paulonas) | • Songs • Refutations of Marcion and doubtful critics • Treatise on believers and the creed | • Barsoum, 237 • Wright, 38 |
|||
| Asuna | • Poetry in four-syllabic and six-syllabic meter | • Barsoum, 237 | |||
| The Priest 'Absmayya | • Songs and memre about the Hun invasion of Mesopotamia and Syria in the years 395 and 404 | • Barsoum, 238 | |||
| Isaac of Amid | 363-418 | • Odes in the seven-syllabic meter | Amid | • Barsoum, 238 | |
| Monk Dada of Amid | • Memre and madroshos (no longer extant) | Amid | • Barsoum, 239 • Wright, 54-55 |
||
| Cyrillona | • Poems on various topics (such as on the Hun invasion around 396) | • Baumstark, 67-68 • Barsoum, 239-240 • Wright, 39-42 |
|||
| Gregory, the monk | • Discourses and letters • General exhortations to his monks | Cyprus | • Baumstark, 57-58 • Wright, 42-43 |
||
| Ahai, catholicos of Ctesiphon | d. 415 | • Book containing the chronicles of the martyrs of the East • Story of Mar ‘Abda | Ctesiphon | • Baumstark, 54 • Barsoum, 240 • Wright, 46 |
|
| Marutha of Miyapharqin | d. 421 | • Book of Martyrs • Anthems and hymns • Syriac translation of the canons of the Council of Nicaea | Miyapharqin | • Baumstark, 53-54 • Barsoum, 240-241 • Wright, 44-46 |
|
| Rabbula, metropolitan of Edessa | d. 435 | • Syriac translations of some of Cyril’s writings • Takhsheftos for the principle feasts, the Virgin Mary, the saints, repentance and the dead • 89 canons for monks, priests and ascetic women • 46 letters to bishops, priests, princes, nobles and monks • 2 homilies: one refuting the doctrine of Nestorius and the other on the dead | Edessa | • Baumstark, 71-72 • Barsoum, 242-243 • Wright, 47-49 |
|
| Acacius, bishop of Amid | • epistles | Amid | N | • Wright, 51 | |
| Barsauma | c. 449 | • Paraenetic and funeral sermons • Turgame • Madrashos • Letters • Liturgy | Nisibis | N | • Baumstark, 108-109 • Wright, 57-58 |
| Deacon Jacob | d. 451 | • Life story of Pelagia | Edessa | • Barsoum, 244 |
Created by SMT
No Responses yet
