BIOGRAPHIES OF SYRIAN SCHOLARS AND WRITERS -THE 1St. PERIOD: B.C. to 758 A.D. – Mor Ignatius Aphram Barsoum / Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Translated : By Dr. Matti Moosa

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Translated : By Dr. Matti Moosa

-THE FIRST PERIOD: B.C. to 758 A.D.

-THE SECOND PERIOD: 773 to 1286 A.D.

-THE THIRD PERIOD: 1290 to 1931 A.D.

FOREWORD

This period begins with the two philosophers, Wafa the Aramaean, in the pre-Christian era and then Bar Daysan, who lived at the end of the second and the beginnirlg of the third centuries A.D. It ends with Iliyya, bishop of Sinjar (d. 758). The writers of this period were distinguished for their originality, luciclity, and style. They were also famous for the number and value of their work. Indeed, this period is considered the golden era of the Syriac language. These masterful writers crowned the Syriac language with literary gems, attaining the acme of philosophy, theology, Biblical commentaries, polemics and devotional duties, their unsurpassed excellence in jurisprudence, history, poetry, sermons, prose, biographies as well as story writing, reveals their ability and excellent taste.
In this period flourished Ephraim the Great, Asuna, Cyrillona, Isaac of Amid, Marutha, Rabula, Balai the bishop, Isaac of Edessa, Simon the potter and Jacob of Saruj. Philoxenus of Mabug astonished his contemporaries with his eloquence and Paul of Callinicus was well-known for his precise translation of religious writings. Other famous writers of their time were Sergius of Ras Ayn, Severus of Antioch, the illustrious theologian, John bar Talla, John bar Aphtonya, Daniel of Salh, the commentator on the Scriptures, and the two historians: Zachariah of Mitylene and John of Ephesus. Peter of Callinicus the theologian, Patriarch Paul of Talla, Paul of Edessa and Thomas of Harclea, the translator of the Scriptures, and other books were all written during this period. John III of the Sedras, John of Busra and the philosophers Severus Sabukht, Athanasius II, Jacob of Edessa, George bishop of the Arabs, John of Atharib, Phocas bar Sergius and Iliyya bishop of Sinjar and many others such as the monks of the Qarqafta (the Skull) monastery who translated Greek writings, composed religious rituals and vocalized the Holy Scriptures.

CHAPTER ONE

1.Wafa the Aramaean

2. Paul bar Arqa of Edessa

3. Bar Daysan (d. 222)

– The Psalms and Praises of Solomon

4. Theophilus of Edessa (309)

5. Isaiah Bar Hadbo ( 327 )

6. Miles, bishop of Sus (d. 341)

7. Simon Bar Sabbai (d. 343)

8. Aphrahat the Persian (364)

9.St. Ephraim the Syrian (d. 373)

10 – 13 – The Puplis of St. Ephraim

14. Asuna

15. The priest Absmayya

16. Isaac of Amid (363-418?)

17. The Monk Dada of Amid

18. The Writer of the Biography of Eusebius of Samosata

19. Cyrillona

20. Ahi, Catholicos of al-Madain (Ctesiphon) (d. 415)

21. Mana the Catholicos (d. 420)

22. Marutha of Miyafarqin (d. 421)

23. Rabula, metropolitan of Edessa (d. 435)

24. Blai, bishop of Balsh

25. The Deacon Jacob (451)

26. The Monk Samuel (458)

27. The priest Samuel (467)

28. The Priest Cosmas (472)

29-30 The Two Priests Peter and Muqim

31. Isaac of Edessa, knoun as lsaac of Antioch (491?)

32. Isaac, the Second, of Edessa (522)

33. The Chorepiscopus Polycarp (508)

34. Stephen bar Sudayli (510)

35. The Deacon Simon the Potter (514)

36. John Rufus the Antiochian, bishop of Mayoma (515?)

37. The History ascribed to the Priest Joshua the Stylite (515?)

38. The Doctor Mar Jacob of Saruj (d. 521)

39. Habib of Edessa

40. Mar Philoxenus of Mabug (d. 523)

41. The Ascetic Barlaha

42. Simon, Abbot of the Monastery of Beth Liqin

43. Paul, bishop of al-Raqqa132 (528 A.D.)

44. Mara, metropolitan of Amid (d. 529)

45. Sergius of Ras Ayn (d. 536)

46. John of Tella (d. 538)

47. St. Severus of Antioch (d. 538)

48. John bar Aphtonya (d. 538)

49. Simon of Beth Arsham203 (d. 540)

50. The Translators of the Canons and Laws of Kings

51.Samuel of Ras Ayn

52. The Comes Eucomonius

53. Thomas, Bishop of Germanicia (D. 542)

54. Zachariah Rhetor

55. Daniel of Salh (542 A.D.)

56. The Writer of the History of the Himyarite Martyrs

57. John II, Abbot of the Monastery of Qinnesrin (544)

58. The Anonymous Writer of the Monastery of Qinnesrin

59. The Monk Elijah (Iliyya)

60. Moses of Agel (550)

61. The Syrian Monk thought to be the Writer of the History Ascribed to Zachariah

62. Mar Ahudemeh (d. 575)

63. Sergius, the Ascetic Monk (577)

64. Mar Jacob Baradaeus (d. 578)

65. Cyriacus of Talla

66. Sergius bar Karya (the Short) (580).

67. Paul II, patriarch of Antioch (d. 581)

68. The Priest Cyrus of Batnan (582)

69. John of Ephesus (d. 587)

70. Peter III of al-Raqqa (Callinicus) (d. 591)

71. Julian the Second (d. 595)

72. Abraham of Amid (d. 598)

73. John Psaltes (d. 600)

74. Rufina the Silver Merchant

75. The Priest Simon

76. Sergius the Stylite

77. Paul, Metropolitan of Talla (617)

78. The Deacon Tuma (Thomas) (617)

79. Paul, metropolitan of Edessa (619)

80. Cyriacus, metropolitan of Amid (d. 623)

81. The Anba Paul (624)

82. Tuma al-Harqali (Thomas of Heraclea) (627)

83. Athanasius I, Gammala (631)

84. Severus, Bishop of Samosata (d. 630-643)

85. The Priest Tuma (Thomas)

86. The Priest Emaues

87. John of the Sedras (d. 648)

88. Marutha of Takrit (d. 649)

89. John, Metropolitan of Busra (d. 650)

90. The Priest Andrew of Jerusalem

91. The Ascetic John of Naqar

92. Denha I, Maphrian of the East (d. 659)

93. Janurin of Amid (665)

94. Severus Sabukht (d. 667)

95. The Monk Ithalaha

96. Yunan (Jonas), Bishop of Tal Mawzalt

97. Matta, Metropolitan of Aleppo (669)

98. The Bishop Severus

99. Master Sabroy

100-101. Master Ram Yeshu and Master Gabriel

102. The Patriarch Severus II (d. 681)

103. Rabban (Master) Aaron the Persian

104. Thomas of Amid

105. Athanasius II of Balad (d. 686)

106. Ibrahim al-Sayyad (686)

107. John I, maphrian of Takrit (d. 688)

108. The Presbyter Simon of the Monastery of Qinnesrin

109. Mar Jacob of Edessa (d. 708)

110. The Bishop Euthalius

111. Presbyter Simon, Abbot of the Monastery of the Arabs

112. Presbyter Simon of Samosata.

113. David, Bishop of Marash

114. The Historian Moses of Inhil.

115. Elijah I (d. 723)

116. The Monk Tubana

117. The Deacon Saba (726)

118. Mar George, Bishop of the Arabs (d. 725)

119. Sabar Yeshu

120-124. The Philologists of St. Matthew’s Monastery

125. Mar Simon Zaytuni (d. 734)

126. Constantine, Bishop of Edessa (d. 735)

127. John the Stylite of Atharib (d. 738)

128- Daniel bar Moses

129- John bar Samuel

130- Phocas of Edessa

131- John II, Metropolitan of St. Matthew’s Monastery

132- Iyawannis I, (John) (d. 754)

133- Elias, Bishop of Sinjar (758)