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.
For more information on Syriac authors, see The Center for the Study of Christianity’s Comprehensive Bibliography on Syriac Christianity.
| Name | Dates | Writings | G | Bibliographical Reference |
| Mara bar Serapion | 1st-3rd century | letter referencing Jesus Christ | S | Brock, VI 79 Baumstark, 10 Barsoum, 180 |
| Baba of Harran | before Christian times or 255 | “Revelation” | Rosenthal, 220-232 Baumstark, 11 |
|
| Ahikar | 7th century BC | 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 |
D | Baumstark, 12-14 Barsoum, 225-226 Wright, 28-30 |
| Harmonius of Edessa | hymns/poems | D | Wright, 29 Baumstark, 14 |
|
| Philip of Edessa | Book of the Laws of the Countries | D | Wright, 29 Baumstark, 14 |
|
| Ud(h)a/Ud(h)ai of Edessa | apocalyptic writing | Baumstark, 15-16 | ||
| Tatian of Adiabene | b. 110 | compiled the Diatessaron (172/3) | Baumstark, 19-20 Barsoum, 41-43 |
|
| Palut of Edessa | c. 200 | Possible translator of the Evangelion da-mepharreshe | Baumstark, 21 Burkitt, 5 Harnack, section 7 |
|
| 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 |
Catholic Encyclopedia Baumstark, 27 |
||
| Aswana of Edessa | early 4th century | hymns/poems | Segal, 92 Baumstark, 29 |
|
| Theophilus of Edessa | c. 302-309 | writing on the martyrdom of Guriyya, Shamuna, and Habib | Barsoum, 227 | |
| Isaiah bar Habdo of Persia | c. 327 | eye-witness account on the deaths of ten martyrs in Arzun (327) | Barsoum, 228 | |
| Miles of Sus | d. 341 | letters and compositions (no longer extant) | Barsoum, 228 Wright, 30-31 |
|
| Simon bar Sabba’l of Seleucia and Ctesiphon | d. 343 | Epistles (no longer extant) Hymns The Book of the Fathers |
Barsoum, 228 Wright, 30-31 |
|
| Apharat the Persian | d. 364 | The Homilies (337-346) – 22 in number Separate homily “On the Cluster” |
Baumstark, 30-31 Barsoum, 228-229 Wright, 32-33 |
|
| St. Ephraim the Syrian of Nisibis | d. 373 | 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) A five-syllabic memro Numerous madroshos (metrical songs) Metrical testament Metrical supplication Other songs called Shobroyos and ‘Enyomos Takhsheftos (supplicatory hymns) and cathismata |
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 | ||
| ‘Absmayya the Priest | 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 | Barsoum, 238 | |
| Dada the Monk of Amid | Memre and madroshos (no longer extant) | 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 of Cyprus | Discourses and letters General exhortations to his monks |
Baumstark, 57-58 Wright, 42-43 |
||
| Ahai the Catholicos of Ctesiphon | d. 415 | Book containing the chronicles of the martyrs of the East Story of Mar ‘Abda |
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 |
Baumstark, 53-54 Barsoum, 240-241 Wright, 44-46 |
|
| Rabbula the 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 |
Baumstark, 71-72 Barsoum, 242-243 Wright, 47-49 |
|
| Acacius the Bishop of Amid | epistles | N | Wright, 51 | |
| Barsauma of Nisibis | c. 449 | Paraenetic and funeral sermons Turgame Madrashos Letters Liturgy |
N | Baumstark, 108-109 Wright, 57-58 |
| Jacob the Deacon of Edessa | d. 451 | Life story of Pelagia | Barsoum, 244 | |
| Ibas of Edessa | d. 457 | Translations of Theodore of Mopsuestia’s works Commentary of Proverbs Sermons and madhrashe |
N | Baumstark, 101 Wright, 49-51 |
| Kumi | Translations | N | Baumstark, 101-102 Wright, 65 |
|
| Probus of Antioch(?) | Translations | N | Baumstark, 102 Wright, 64-65 |
|
| Balai the Bishop of Balsh, of Balsh Aleppo | 5 madroshos on Acacius, bishop of Aleppo (432) Poems |
Baumstark, 61-62 Barsoum, 243-244 Wright, 39-40 |
||
| Dadhisho the Catholicos of Seleucia | 421-456 | Commentaries on Daniel, Kings and Ecclesiastes | Wright, 56 | |
| Mana of Edessa and Persia | Madrashos, memre and antiphons Translations |
N | Baumstark, 105-106 Wright, 62-63 |
|
| Samuel the Monk | c. 458 | Homilies, commentaries, treatises, poems and hymns Biography of Barsoum of Samosata |
Barsoum, 244-245 Wright, 66 |
|
| Samuel the Stylite | d. 459 | Letters to emperor Leo, the abbot Jacob of Kaphra Rehima, and John I | M? | Baumstark, 60-61 Wright, 55-56 |
| Samuel the Priest of Edessa | c. 467 | Treatises refuting the heresies of Ibas and Eutyches | Barsoum, 245 | |
| Cosmas the Priest of Qallisura | c. 472 | Letter to Simon the Stylite Biography of Simeon the Stylite(?–Wright claims there is no evidence of Cosmas’ authorship) |
Barsoum, 245 Wright, 56 |
G = Group the writer is associated with
D = Daysanist
M = Monophysite
N = Nestorian
S = Secular
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.
Created by SMT
No Responses yet
