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Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Syriac Literature.

The purpose of this site is to make it possible to create a guide to Syriac literature. Please do not post hearsay into these entries, or material copied from non-scholarly websites.

• Notes on Syriac Grammar
• Vatican Syriac manuscripts
• Catalogues of Syriac manuscripts

A. The 1st to 3rd centuries A.D.

The most obscure period of Syriac literature.

1. Peshitta
2. The Diatessaron
3. The Old Syriac Gospels
4. Bardaisan and the Book of the Laws of the Countries.
5. The Odes of Solomon
6. The Acts of Thomas
7. Pseudo-Melito's Apology
8. The Syriac Sentences of Menander
9. The Letter of Mara
10. The Story of the 'Aramaean sage' Ahikar

B. The 4th century A.D.

The first substantial works commence from the middle and second half of the 4th century.

1. Aphrahat (Aphraates, 'Jacob of Nisibis')
2. Ephrem (Ephraim Syrus)
3. Liber Graduum (The Book of Steps)

C. The 5th to mid-7th centuries A.D.

5th century

1. Cyrillona
2. Balai
3. Narsai
4. John the Solitary (John of Apamea)
5. Anonymous prose hagiography
6. Marutha of Maiperkat
7. Isaac of Seleucia-Ctesiphon

5-6th century

1. Jacob of Serugh
2. Simeon the Potter
3. Philoxenus
4. Isaac of Antioch
5. Symmachus

6th century

1. Ps.Joshua the Stylite
2. Stephen bar Sudhaili
3. Sergius of Resh'aina
4. Simeon of Beth Arsham
5. Elias
6. Daniel of Salah
7. Thomas of Edessa
8. Cyrus of Edessa
9. The Chronicle of Edessa
10. John of Ephesus
11. Peter of Kallinikos
12. Ps.Zacharias Rhetor
13. Ahudemmeh
14. Abraham of Nathpar
15. Anonymous literature of the 6th century

6-7th century

1. Barhadbeshabba 'Arbaya
2. Barhadbeshabba of Halwan
3. Shubhalmaran (Subhalmaran)
4. Babai the Great
5. Martyrius (Sahdona)
6. Isho'Yahb II
7. John of the Sedre
8. Marutha
9. Gregory of Cyprus
10. Anonymous literature of the early 7th century

D. Mid-7th to 13th century A.D.

In the middle of the 7th century, the Syriac-speaking world was occupied by the Arabs.

Second half of the 7th century

1. Severus Sebokht
2. Gabriel of Qatar
3. Abraham bar Lipeh of Qatar
4. The Khuzistan Chronicle
5. Isho'Yahb III
6. Isaac of Nineveh (Isaac the Syrian)
7. Shem'on the graceful (Shem'on d-Taybutheh)
8. Dadisho'
9. John bar Penkaye
10. The Apocalypse of Ps.Methodius
11. Hagiography of the 7th century

7th-8th century

1. Jacob of Edessa
2. George, bishop of the Arab tribes

8th century

1. The Diyarbekir Commentary
2. Sergius the Stylite of Gusit
3. Elia
4. John of Dalyatha (John Saba)
5. Joseph Hazzaya (the seer)
6. Abraham bar Dashandad, 'the lame'
7. The Chronicle of Ps.Dionysius of Tel-Mahre (Chronicle of Zuqnin)
8. Theodore bar Koni (N) (Liber scholiorum)

8th-9th century

1. Timothy I
2. Isho'bar Nun

9th century

1. Job of Edessa
2. John of Dara
3. Isho'dad of Merv
4. Nonnus
5. Antony of Tagrit
6. Ps.George of Arbela
7. Thomas, bishop of Marga
8. Isho'dnah
9. The anonymous commentary on the Old and New Testament
10. Moshe bar Kepha

10th century

1. Elijah of Anbar
2. The Book of the Cause of Causes
3. Emmanuel bar Shahhare

11th century

1. Elijah of Nisibis

12th century

1. Dionysius bar Salibi (Dionysius Syrus / Jacob bar Salibi)
2. Elijah III Abu Halim
3. Michael the Great (Michael the Syrian)

13th century

1. John bar Zo'bi
2. Solomon of Bosra
3. Giwargis Warda
4. The Chronicle of 1234
5. Jacob Severus bar Shakko
6. Gregory Barhebraeus (Bar'ebroyo / Abu 'L Faraj / Gregorius Abulpharagius)

E. The 13th to 14th centuries A.D.

Syriac is displaced by Arabic in the West in this period.

1. 'Abdisho bar Brika (Ebed Jesu) {East Syriac/Nestorian} 1250-1318 AD.
2. Khamis bar Qardahe {East Syriac/Nestorian} Late 13th/early 14th century.
3. Dioscorus of Gozarto {West Syriac/Monophysite} Late 13th/early 14th century.
4. The History of Yahballaha and Rabban Sauma {East Syriac/Nestorian}. Soon after 1317.
5. Timothy II {East Syriac/Nestorian} Died 1353 AD.

F. The 14th to 20th centuries A.D.

1. Syriac literature in the 14th to 19th centuries
2. Syriac literature in the 20th century

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