|
|
|
|
|
502 AD
([52] has AD 503,
but this may be a slight error.) |
Died Mar Narsai, the
first director of the School of Nisibis. According to the historian
Barhadbashabba, Narsai had been director of the School of Nisibis
for 45 years and director of the Persian School at Edessa for 20 years
before that. According to the same ancient source, Narsai was succeeded as
director of the School of Nisibis by Elisha who held this office
for 7 years. He died in AD 509, [70]. |
[52], p. 59
[54], p.
x
[70], p. 127 note 2 |
|
Saturday
5th
October 502 AD |
Amida was besieged by
the Persian king Kawad in a siege lasting 97 days. At least 80,000
citizens of that city were slaughtered when the city fell. ([33] has AD
503 in error.) |
[28], p. 38
[33], p.
112
[41] |
|
503 AD |
Ya`qob, (Later
bishop of Serug) is mentioned by Joshua Stylite in his
history as follows, 'The honoured Ya`qob, the periodeutes, who has
composed many homilies on passages of the scriptures, and written various
poems and hymns regarding the time of the locusts, was not neglectful at
this time too of his duty, but wrote letters of admonition to all the
cities, bidding them trust in the Divine deliverance, and exhorting them
not to flee.' |
[28], p. 43
[42], p.
54 |
|
May
503 AD |
Anastasius the
Byzantine Emperor sends three generals to Mesopotamia. Areobindus who
encamped at the Persian border near Dara, Patricius and Hypatius who led a
counter attack on the Persian garrison at Amid. |
[28], p. 44 |
|
24th September 503
AD |
Edessa is besieged by
Kawad king of Persia and was repulsed, but there were severe losses
inside the city.
By 505 AD the Byzantines had recaptured Amida
from the Persians. |
[28], p. 53
[33], pp. 112,
157
[41] |
|
July to October
505
AD |
Died Babhai
catholicos. He was succeeded by Shila. |
[50], p. 324 note
1 |
|
505 or 506 AD |
An synod of the Armenian
clergy was held at Dwin (or Dvin) under the Armenian
Catholicos Babgen. The Armenian bishops formally rejected both
Nestorius and the Council of Chalcedon.
Armenian sources say that the
Syrian monks came to this synod and related their sufferings and
persecutions at the hands of the East Syrian clergy. This and many other
sources from the time, confirm that the East Syrian clergy were
persecuting the monks. This persecution was probably because the
clergy envied the esteem in which the monks were held by the laity and
their reputation for spiritual gifts, particularly healing, (see also
under AD 554 below). |
[38], pp. 124, 128
[44],
p. 11 |
|
506 AD |
The Byzantines and Persians
agree a peace treaty. |
[33], p. 112 |
|
508 AD |
Mar Philoxenus (also
known as Aksenaya or Xenaias), Syrian Orthodox theologian
and bishop of Mabbûg who had studied theology at the Syrian School in
Edessa was responsible for the Philoxenian recension of the ancient Syriac
Old Testament and New Testament. The actual work was done by
Polycarp a chorepiscopus of the church. Apparently, this version
appeared in 507-508 AD. The version was designed as a revision of the
Syriac and intended to render the Greek OT and NT more precisely as well
as supplying the missing five books (and, perhaps, John 7:53-8:11
also).
Comment: Rather that just
adopt the Peshitta NT, Philoxenus went to considerable trouble to produce
a new Syriac revision of the NT. He probably made this effort because the
Peshitta Syriac NT was based on a Byzantine (Catholic) Greek text, and
therefore it was based on a NT text being pushed by his theological
opponents. Very regrettably, no MSS of the Philoxean gospels survives, but
this revision would have been based upon an Antiochene gospel text, since
the origin of the Syrian Orthodox faith was in Antioch. |
[22]
[13]
[21]
[25], p. 167
[33], pp. 95, 98 |
|
509 AD |
Died Elisha, the
second director of the School of Nisibis. He was succeeded by Mar
Abraham who held this office for sixty years. Abraham was assisted
by John of Bet Rabban. |
[54], p. ix |
|
April
510 AD |
Peter bishop of Edessa
died. He was succeeded by Paul. |
[41]
[33], p. 96 has AD
501 |
|
512 AD |
Severus of Antioch
became patriarch of Antioch. He was Syrian Orthodox by belief. Soon after
this time, the Chalcedonian persecution of the Syrian Orthodox Church
became fiercer, (in 518 AD, see below). |
[22]
[33], p. 96
[7],
p. 71 |
|
513 - 515 AD |
Synod of Tyre.
Influenced by Severus of Antioch, the synod rejected the
Chalcedonian two-nature view of Jesus Christ and the interpretation of
Christianity that went with it. |
[35], p. 84 |
|
512 - 513 AD
(= 407 of
the Bostran era) |
A cathedral was completed at
Bostra in Roman Arabia, (building work began in 488 AD). The
building was dedicated by Archbishop Julian the Chalcedonian
adversary of Severus of Antioch. Julian left his see and was
quickly replaced by the Syrian Orthodox bishop,
Cassian. |
[35], p. 77 |
|
9th July
518
AD |
Death of the Byzantine
emperor Anastasias. The new Byzantine emperor Justin started
a severe persecution of Syrian Orthodox believers. |
[35], p.
78
[41] |
|
518 AD |
Council of
Constantinople. Bishop Severus of Antioch was anathematized
and deposed as patriarch of Antioch; he fled to Egypt on 25th
September AD 518, [46]. Similarly Philoxenus bishop of Mabbug (the
following year) and Cassian bishop of Bostra in Arabia were
deposed. |
[25], p. 167
[35], pp. 78,
84
[41] which has AD 518 or 519.
[46], volume 1, column
727 |
|
November, 519
AD |
Early in the sixth century a
young Jewish king rose to power in the Kingdom of Himyar (present day
Yemen). This king, Yusuf As'ar, began a brutal massacre of the Assyrians
who were living in that kingdom. These massacres did not escape the
attention of the rest of the Assyrians; the martyrdoms in one town,
Najran, where the church was burnt with worshipers inside particularly
caught the attention of the public. |
[14] |
|
519 AD |
Mar Ya`qob of Serug
was consecrated by Severus and Philoxenus, [70] as bishop of Serug or
Batnae. He corresponded with Paul of Edessa and Eutychian of
Dara. He wrote many homilies. Including one on the fall of the idols
where he condemns the worship of Nabu (the planet Mercury) and Bel (the
planet Jupiter) and other idols at Edessa. Ya`qob also says that
the pagans practised human sacrifice on a large scale, slaughtering young
boys and girls to pagan deities. These homilies show that Ya`qob used the
Diatessaron as his gospel text. His use of the Diatessaron must
reflect its earlier acceptability at the Syrian School of Edessa
which he attended between about AD 469 and AD 473. |
[17], p. 189.
[29], p.
108
[33], p. 170
[42], p. 55
[70], p. 121 |
|
519 AD |
Johannan bar
Qursos became Syrian Orthodox bishop of Tella de-Mauselat. a town en
route between Edessa and Mardin. This person is also known as John of
Tella. Johannan was from a prominent family, a native of
Callinicus who, prior to becoming bishop, had been a monk in the
Monastery of Mar Zakkai near Callinicus. This man served bravely
during a time of acute danger during the persecution of the Emperor
Justinian. He was eventually arrested, taken to Antioch and martyred for
his faith in AD 538. |
[53], p. 55
f. |
|
519 AD |
Philoxenus bishop
of Mabbug was deposed and exiled by order of the Emperor first to
Thracia and then to Gangra in Paphlagonia. |
[53], p. 51 |
|
519 AD |
Paul ar-Rakkah Syrian
Orthodox bishop of Callinicus was expelled from his office.
Afterward, he travelled to Edessa where he devoted himself to translating
the voluminous letters and works of Severus Patriarch of Antioch
from Greek into Syriac. This work of scholarship lasted at least from AD
519 to 528 when Paul completed a translation of Severus' correspondence
with Julian of Halicarnassus (see for example a copy in CBL MS 709) and a
discourse of Severus against Julian. Also likely translated by Paul for
the first time were the Homiliae Cathedrales of Severus. Another
translation of the Homiliae Cathedrales was made later by Jacob of Edessa
who flourished AD 684 – 708. The second translation has been published,
but Paul's version is still mostly unpublished and resides in early
manuscripts, see opposite. Paul's version of the Homiliae Cathedrales
features gospel readings influenced by an Old Syriac gospel
text. |
[24], p. 94
Vatican Syr.
143 dated AD 563*
BL Add. 14599 dated AD 569**
Vatican Syr. 142
dated AD 576***
Vatican Syr. 256
*See Hatch, 'Album' plate
XXV
**Ibid. plate XXIX
***Excerpts have been published by Mar
Ignatios Ephrem II Rahmani Patriarch of Antioch, in 'Studia Syriaca' vol.
III, Lebanon 1908. |
|
c. 520 AD |
The Syriac 'History of
Paul the bishop' was written in Edessa. Reference [42] says that it
was written in Edessa when the episcopate of Rabbula, (d. AD 435) was a
recent memory. The title indicates that the work was written about Syrian
Orthodox bishop Paul (who sat April AD 510 – July AD 521 and March
until October AD 526). The gospels are quoted in this history from the Old
Syriac Evangelion daMepharreshe. The work survives in three MSS, A,
B and C of which A has preserved the best text. |
[42], p. 27
A: BL. Add.
12160 (6th cent.)
B: BL. Add. 14646 (6th
cent.)
C: Paris Syr. 235 (13th cent.) |
|
July 521 AD |
In this year, all monks and
clergy who would not accept the official Chalcedonian interpretation of
Christianity were expelled by the emperor Justin from their
churches and monasteries, (they were essentially made penniless and
homeless). Death of Mar Ya`qob, bishop of Serug. The list of those
banished is very long. Fifty-four bishops were deposed around this time
including Severus, patriarch of Antioch, Philoxenus of
Mabbug, Peter of Apamea, John of Tella, [53] Julian
of Halicarnassus, Mara III of Amid and Isidore of
Kenneshrin. |
[17], p. 189
[24], pp. 73,
83
[33], p. 170
[35], p. 85
[53], p. 55 |
|
27th July
522
AD |
Syrian Orthodox bishop
Paul of Edessa was deposed by Justin the Emperor and banished to
Euchata because he would not accept the council of Chalcedon. On the
23rd of October following Paul's banishment he was replaced by
Asclepius as (Chalcedonian catholic) bishop of Edessa.
|
[41] |
|
24th
December
522 AD |
Asclepius
(Chalcedonian catholic) bishop of Edessa doubtless as a Christmas gesture
of goodwill, expelled all the monks in the area of Edessa who would not
accept the council of Chalcedon. |
[41] |
|
c. 523 AD |
Died Shila, (Silas)
catholicos of the east. There was a dispute about the succession between
Mar Narsa a scholar from the School of Nisibis, (not the
same name as Narsai the famous scholar who lived earlier) and Mar
Elisha a physician who were both elected catholicoi of the east in
mutual opposition. |
[50], pp. 324 note 1, 339
note 3 |
|
523 AD |
Martyrdom of Mar
Philoxenus of Mabbug. Philoxenus was persecuted by Chalcedonian
Catholics because of his monophysite beliefs and died a martyr in prison
during his second exile in Gangra in Paphlagonia. One source says that he
was suffocated, allegedly by smoke from a kitchen beneath his cell, but
another, more reliable source says that he died a violent death, [53]. In
the year of his death he wrote to the monks of the Monastery of
Senun, mentioning Ephrem of Nisibis as he did so. Van Rompay
points out that Philoxenus was respectfully critical of Ephrem's theology
in his letter. He also observes that Syrian Orthodox authors seldom quoted
Ephrem in the 6th century [32]. |
[22]
[32] para 10
[33],
p. 96
[38], p. 88
[53], p.
51 |
|
525 AD |
Pope Gelasius
appointed a Sythian monk Dionysius Exiguus, (='Denys the short') as
a translator of his archives. Denys invented the idea of dating from the
birth of Christ, viz: anni Domini. (See entry under 532
AD.) |
[7], p. 63 |
|
525 AD
April |
Another disastrous flood at
Edessa. Procopius states that about 30,000 people, (a third
of the population) were killed in that flood. The chronicle of Edessa also
records that the flood destroyed the city for the third time. This was
also the fourth time that the walls were destroyed, [41]. Asclepius
(Chalcedonian catholic) bishop of Edessa showing his true nature once
again, flees the disaster and hides in Antioch were he died on
27th June of the same year.
Euphrasius was
patriarch of Antioch at this time, [41]. |
[33], pp. 96,
124
[41] |
|
March 8th
526
AD |
Paul who had been
deposed from Edessa decided to accept the council of Chalcedon and was
restored as bishop of Edessa. Paul died on the 30th October of
the same year. Paul was succeeded by Andreas on the 7th
February AD 527 |
[41] |
|
1pm Friday 29th
May
526 AD |
A massive earthquake
destroyed Antioch killing most of the population including
Euphrasius the patriarch. He was succeeded by Ephraim of
Amida, another Chalcedonian catholic. He sat until AD
545. |
[41]
[7], p.
72 |
|
1st April
527
AD |
Death of Byzantine emperor
Justin I, who was succeeded by his nephew Justinian, [60].
Justinian decreed that a dam should be built to protect Edessa from flood
waters and he funded the project.
During the reign of
Justinian, a Chalcedonian catholic centre was established at Edessa. This
was part of a wider movement led by the emperor, that later would become
the Melkite denomination.
About this time in Palestine,
the Melkite movement translated its Greek scriptures and other writings
into the local Aramaic dialect – Christian Palestinian Aramaic,
(CPA). That the people of Palestine were still speaking western Aramaic in
the 6th century and even later is demonstrated by the surviving
CPA lectionaries, (see under AD 969 below). |
[33], pp. 77, 112,
156
[41]
[60], p. 61 |
|
15th
November
527 AD |
Antioch, or what was
left of it after the earthquake the previous year, was destroyed again,
this time by a major fire. |
[41] |
|
530 AD |
Emperor Justinian
tried to Hellenize the Aramean monasteries of the Sinai peninsular. Part
of this strategy was to establish the Monastery of St. Catherine at
the foot of Mt Sinai. |
[35], p. 85 |
|
12th July
531
AD
(AG 842) |
Death of Kawad, king
of Persia who was succeeded on 12th July AD 531 by Khusraw I
Anushirun son of Kawad, [50]. |
[33], p. 112
[37], p.
xii
[50], p. 318 note 3 |
|
18th
December
531 AD |
The Huns defeated the
Roman commander Demosthenes at Edessa and invaded and laid waste the Roman
territory as far as Aleppo and they came within 12 miles of
Antioch. |
[41] |
|
532
AD
(= 247 anno Diocletiani) |
Dionysius Exiguus
writes a letter to a bishop named Petronius dated 247 anno
Diocletiani stating that he had calculated the birth of Christ to have
occurred 531 years previously in 1 AD, the start date he was proposing as
a new Christian calendar. The non-zero integer arithmetic indicates that
if the birth of Christ occurred in 1 AD and 531 years previously, then the
date of Dionysius' letter was 532 AD. See entry above under 286
AD. |
[5], p. 100.
[7], p. 63
Bede read this letter 200 years later and used AD in his book, 'The
Ecclesiastical History of the English People' popularizing the AD
based calendar in England from the 8th century onwards. |
|
September
532
AD |
Rufinius a Roman
patrician makes a peace treaty with the Persians which holds until AD 539
or 540. |
[41] |
|
December
532
AD |
Andreas bishop of
Edessa died. He was succeeded by Addai on 28th August AD
533. |
[41] |
|
535 AD |
Died Timothy III patriarch
of Alexandria. He is mentioned in the colophon of a Syrian Orthodox
manuscript BL Add. 12175 which is dated AD 534. |
[48], vol. 2, p. 633
ff. |
|
February to April
AD
537 |
Paul I was Catholicos
of the Eastern Syrians. |
[59], p. xii |
|
537 to 538 AD |
John (bishop) of Tella
a Syrian Orthodox bishop was arrested and tortured in prison. John had
successfully run the Syrian Orthodox church for some time, staying on the
move to evade capture as long as possible. He died a martyr during torture
in 538 AD. |
[33], p. 96 |
|
538 AD |
Died theologian Mar
Severus patriarch of Antioch |
[22] |
|
5th October
538
AD |
Appeared a comet which
the chronicler describes as a spear |
[41] |
|
538 or 539 AD
approx. |
Thomas of Edessa began
to write a cycle of East Syrian theological explanations of the
ecclesiastical feasts whilst he was at the School of
Seleucia-Ctesiphon. After Paul's death, these works were carried on by
his colleague Qiyoré of Edessa, (see AD 550 below). Paul of Edessa
died whilst he was in Constantinople about AD 543. Thomas of Edessa and
Qiyoré of Edessa had both been disciples of Mar Abha I when Mar
Abha had taught at the School of Nisibis. |
[59], p. vii -
xi |
|
May
539 AD |
The Persian king Khusraw I
Anosharwan invades Byzantine territory, penetrating deep into Syria.
He laid waste Shura, and Haleb (Aleppo) and Antioch,
and also took possession of Apamea, and turned and came as far as
Edessa.
During this war, the Persian
king deported large numbers of Christians taken prisoner in various parts
of Syria during his campaign. The king settled these captives near his
capital city at Seleucia Ctesiphon, [60].
Edessa was besieged by the
Persian king who was repulsed and bought off with 200 pounds of gold. A
peace was arranged in 562 AD. According to [41], the date of the siege of
Edessa was the summer of AD 539, however [33] has AD 544. |
[33], p. 113,
158
[41]
[60], p. 65 |
|
January
540 AD
(Kanun
II AG 852) |
Mar Abha I was
educated at the School of Nisibis, and later became an eminent
professor there. According to `Amr he then moved to the School of
Seleucia-Ctesiphon around AD 538, [59]. In AD 540 Abha succeeded
catholicos Paulus and became East Syrian catholicos. He sat until
his death on 29th February AD 552. |
[45]
[50], p. 318 notes 1,
3, 326, 353 note 5
[59], p. viii |
|
c. 540 AD |
The Chronicle of
Edessa (here labeled [41]) was written. |
[33], p. 166 |
|
542 AD
[34] has 341
AD |
Empress Theodora, wife
of Justinian was sympathetic to the Syrian Orthodox cause and caused
Jacob Bard'aya (or Burd'ana) to become bishop of Edessa, 541 - 578
AD. Jacob gave his name to the Jacobites a West Syrian monophysite
Christian denomination which survives to this day. |
[33], p. 97
[34],
pXXVII |
|
542 AD |
The Persians attack and
capture the city of Callinicus. |
[53], p. 55 |
|
January to July
12th
544 AD |
A synod was held presided
over by the east Syrian catholicos Mar Abha I. The acts of this
synod contain a few gospel quotations taken from an Old Syriac
gospel manuscript. Mar Abha who had been educated at the School of
Nisibis, later founded a new eastern Syriac theological school in
Seleucia, (Baghdad). One of his disciples, a priest called
Ishai, became the first professor of biblical exegesis at Seleucia.
Ishai wrote a treatise which survives. As is clear from the text, he also
used an Old Syriac gospel manuscript in his work.
The 5th year of
Mar Abha I began January AD 544 and the 13th year of Kawsrau
the king ended on 12th July AD 544. This means that the synod
was held sometime within this interval. |
[38], pp. 95 – 96
[50], p.
318 |
|
545 AD |
Ephraim of Amida
Chalcedonian catholic patriarch of Antioch died. |
[7], p. 72 |
|
547 to 549 AD |
Cosmas Indikopleustes,
an Indian traveler from the island of Socotra sees Syrian Christian
bishops and communities living along the coasts of India and Sri Lanka.
These Christians had been driven East by the persecution of, and wars
between, the Zoroastrian Sassanian kings of Persia and the Arian Byzantine
Caesars. [7] gives the date as c. AD 535, but in [59] the date is narrowed
down to between AD 547 and 549 because Cosmas mentions the two eclipses of
AD 547 in his sixth book. |
[7], p. 153
[59], p.
viii |
|
550 AD |
The archives of Edessa
were still kept in that city at this time. |
Assemani, 'Bibliotecha
Orientalis' Vol. 1 via [17], p. 142 |
|
c. 550 AD |
Lived Qiyoré of
Edessa, a disciple of Mar Aba I and a professor at the
School of Seleucia-Ctesiphon. He was an East Syrian author who
wrote commentaries on the liturgy, [52], [59]. This included a commentary
on the Easter liturgy called, 'The cause of the Pascha', [57]. This is
preserved in Notre Dame des Semences [=Monastery of Rabban Hormizd at
Alqosh] MS 155, [57]. |
[52], p. 57
[57], p. 348,
note 4
[59] |
|
c. 550 AD |
Moses of Agel (or
Aggil) a monophysite, mentioned that chorepiscopus Polycarp had
translated the NT and David, (Psalms) from Greek into Syriac for Xenaias,
(Philoxenus) - see under 508 AD above. |
Assemani Bibl. Or. t. II, p.
82 via [34], p. XXVIII |
|
c. 550 AD |
East Syrian catholicos Mar
Abha I wrote a book called 'Memre of the soul'.
Mar Abha
I who had learned Greek at Edessa, [50] created a new Syriac
version of the Old Testament, and perhaps also of the New
Testament, (middle of the 6th century, see above under AD 544).
According to Mingana Syr 53, Mar Abha also commissioned Thomas of
Edessa to translate the liturgy of Theodore of Mopsuestia from
Greek into Syriac. This liturgy was included in an East Syrian liturgical
work called the Hudhra, (see under AD 647). |
[32], para 34
[33], p.
165
[46], volume 1, column 150
[50], p. 318 |
|
fl. c. 550 AD |
Johannan of
Dalyatha (or John Saba) an East (?) Syrian anchorite monk,
gathered some monks together and erected the monastery of Dalyatha
at Qardu. He wrote a treatise on the monastic life and a collection
of epistles. According to [38] these works contain much gospel text quoted
from an Old Syriac text, though some have been vulgarized in
transmission. This was part of a reaction by the monks to the severe harm
done by the East Syrian clergy towards them over the preceding 70 years or
so. In general, the reaction of the monks was largely to go their own way.
They could rely on the assistance of many ordinary believers to continue
their healing and preaching ministries.
Johannan's work has
been transmitted by both the Eastern and Western Syriac traditions. CUL
1999 is western and dated AD 1573. |
[24], p. 109
[38], pp.
104, 125
BL Orient 4074
CUL Syr. 1999
HSM Syr. 42, 48,
115 |
|
February
552
AD |
Mar Abha I East Syrian
catholicos died on the second Friday in the month Careme = February, [50].
He was succeeded in May AD 552, [50] by Joseph who sat until being
deposed between AD 564 and 567, [50] or in AD 567, [46]. |
[46], volume 1, column 663
cited from Bar Hebraeus.
[50], pp. 318 note 1, 352 note 1, 353 note
5 |
|
553 AD = 1 AE |
This was year 1 or 2 in the
Armenian era (AE) dating system. |
[44], p. 17 |
|
January
554
AD |
An East Syrian synod was held
under catholicos Joseph. Joseph had himself been a monk near
Nisibis and being the favourite nominated by the Marzban (= Persian
governor) of Nisibis, he was made catholicos by king Khusraw I
Anosharwan (the same king who had earlier besieged Edessa). In his
concluding statement from the synod, Joseph says that East Syrian
monasticism had been suppressed and dethroned. This indicates the
completion of a process of physical persecution and ideological
suppression of asceticism which was begun by Barsauma at the
end of the 5th century. Catholicos Joseph behaved despotically
and generally badly, throwing some bishops into prison and deposing
others, generating a lot of ill will. He was finally deposed, probably in
AD 567. Afterwards Joseph was regarded as an illegitimate
catholicos.
The persecution of the monks
by the clergy resulted in a permanent rift between the two sides. From a
gospel text point of view, the monks continued to use the Old
Syriac texts they preferred, whereas from this time onwards the East
Syrian clergy slowly migrated towards the Peshitta.
Mar Ahoudemmeh,
Syrian Orthodox bishop of Nineveh also attended this council of the
Church of the East and his name appears amongst the signatures at the end,
[50], p. 109 line 3, [71]. The Persian monarchy made the Catholicos of the
Church of the East responsible for all Christians living in Persian
territory. Seen in this light, it is not too surprising to find a Syrian
Orthodox bishop of Nineveh in attendance. |
[38], pp. 124 – 125
[50],
pp. 109 line 3, 352 note 1, 354
[71], p. 8 |
|
555 AD |
The second Armenian council
Dvin. The Armenian bishops condemned the church of the Roman empire
and formally adopted the monophysite christology of Cyril of
Alexandria. |
[44], p. 11 |
|
558 or 559
AD |
In the year AG 890 Mar
Yacub Baradeus (AD 500 – 578) the Syrian Orthodox bishop of Edessa
and the Armenian Catholicos Christophore consecrated
Ahoudemmeh as the first Syrian Orthodox bishop of Beth
`Arabaye and metropolitan of Tikrit and all the East. Mar
Ahoudemmeh was a saintly and well educated man who came from Balad
on the shores of the river Tigris. He was originally a Nestorian, but he
converted to the Syrian Orthodox faith. He wrote a number of theological
and controversial works. He was also a prolific and highly effective
evangelist. Many Arabs and followers of the Magi were converted as a
result of his preaching, [71]. |
[35], p. 171
[60], pp. 62,
67
[71], p. 10 f. |
|
c. 560 AD |
Flourished Moshe
Karkhaya, i.e. he was from Karkha in Piruz. Moshe was a disciple of
Catholicos Mar Abha I. This places his fl. c. AD 560. His works include a
treatise on the two genealogies of Christ as found in the gospels, (A copy
of this work can be found in Mingana Syr 148A). |
[46], volume 1, column
340 |
|
c. 560 AD |
Lived Hind, the
daughter of the Christian Lakhmid Arab king Herta
al-Hirah Abu Kabus Numan ibn al-Mundhir. Hind became the
wife of Al-Mundhir III, ibn Ma' al-Sama. Their son was `Amr Ibn
Mudir (AD 554 – 569). According to Rassam, his name was Amru, [60].
Hind founded a monastery in al-Hira which was called Der Hind al-Kubra.
This monastery contains Christian Arabic inscriptions which
indicate that the gospel had already been translated from Syriac into
Arabic by this time. The Hind monastery existed 'until the second century
of Islam', [60]. |
[24], p. 129
[38], p.
156
[60], p. 43 |
|
566 or 567 AD |
Yohannan (John) of
Ephesus wrote his 'History of Oriental Saints'. Yohannan
was a monk at Amida and became a favourite of the Emperor
Justinian. He also persecuted pagan groups in Asia Minor, (Turkey).
In his history, Yohannan quotes the gospels from the
Peshitta, although some Old Syriac influences can be
traced. |
[38], p. 93 |
|
567 AD |
Joseph catholicos of
the east was deposed due to his authoritarian and heavy handed
behaviour. |
[46], volume 1, column 663
cited from Bar Hebraeus.
[50], pp. 352 note 1, 353 note
5 |
|
569 AD |
Died Mar Abraham the
third director of the School of Nisibis. This is the last event recorded
by Barhadbashabba `Arbaia in his Syriac history of the
church which begins with the Nicaean council in AD 325 where Eusebius left
off. This history has been edited by Nau, F. 'La première partie de
L'histoire de Barhadbesabba Àrbaïa' PO Tome XXIII, fasc. II. Paris :
Firmin-Didot, 1932 and 'La seconde partie de L'histoire de Barhadbesabba
Àrbaïa' PO Tome IX, fasc. V, Paris, Firmin-Didot 1913 & reprinted
2003.
The date of Abraham's death
is corroborated by another slightly later historian with a similar name
Barhadbashabba bishop of Holwan who wrote 'The cause
of the foundation of the schools' around AD 600, [54]. This work has been
edited with a French translation by Addai Scher, Archbishop of Séert in
Kurdistan in PO tome IV fasc. 4, Paris 1908 and again much later by
Vööbus, A. 'History of the School of Nisibis' CSCO Peeters Louvain,
1965.
Abraham was succeeded as
director by Isho`yabh who held this office for two years,
[54]. |
E. P. Siman, 'Narsai..'
Cariscript, Paris 1984, p. 5
[54], p. ix f. |
|
570 AD |
Mar Hazqiel or
Ezekiel became east Syrian catholicos. His election ended a gap of
three years which began after the deposition of Joseph. During
Hazqiel's episcopate, Rabban Henana of
Hedhaiyabh flourished in the School of Nisibis, [50] and
a little later he became it's sixth director, (see under AD 572) and Mar
Abimelek and Mar Grigor founded some new schools in the
region of Bet Sahde, [38].
Also at this time there was
an epidemic of yersinia pestis, (bubonic plague) which decimated
Mesopotamia. Things got so bad that a three day fast was instituted in the
church calendar, called the Rogations of the Ninevites. This fast
is still observed by the Church of the East. |
[38], volume 2, p.
33
[50], p. 370 note 2 |
|
June
571 AD |
Abraham of Kashkar an
East Syrian monastic reformer founded the Izla Monastery called the
Great Monastery situated on Mt Izla in the region of Marde, [53]. The
monastic rule of the Izla Monastery was established In the month
Haziran in the 40th year of Khuzraw the king of Persia
and in the days of Shem`on, Metropolitan of Nisibis, [53], (the
40th year of the king ended on 12th July AD 571).
This is no doubt true, however a monastery existed at Izla long before
Abraham's time, see under AD 362. A Syriac biography of Abraham survives,
see Mingana Syr 252 D and Berlin Sachau 329. Briefly, he was born in the
village of Dadwaran in Kashkar. He first worked as a missionary amongst
the Arabs at Al-Hirah, (see above under AD 560). He travelled for a
while becoming acquainted with the ascetics in the valley of Scete, Egypt
and at Sinai before spending some time at the School of Nisibis
where he studied under Abraham and Johannan of Bet
Rabban.
A critical edition of the
monastic canons of Abraham mentioned above has been made from six MSS and
published in [53]. These canons quote about six different gospel texts.
From these quotations it appears that Abraham and the monks were all using
an Old Syriac gospel. |
[53], pp. 150 –
152 |
|
571 AD |
Isho`yabh ceased to be
the fourth director of the School of Nisibis. He was succeeded by
Abraham who held this office for one year, [54]. |
[54], p. ix
f. |
|
572 AD |
Abraham, the fifth
director of the School of Nisibis was succeeded by Henana or
Hannana of Hedhaiyabhe (i.e. of Adiabene) who
held this post until AD 610. For some more historical details surrounding
Mar Henana, see below under AD 596. |
[54], p. ix f.
[59], p.
x |
|
573 AD |
The Persian king Khusraw I
Anushirun invaded Syria again and carried off Syrian Orthodox
Christian captives back to the Persian capital of Seleucia Ctesiphon.
Syrian Orthodox Christians who had fled to Persia during the persecution
under Justinian and several waves of deportees arriving in 539 and in 573
swelled the number of Syrian Orthodox people in Persia to a sizable
community. |
[60], p. 65 |
|
2nd Friday in
August, 575 AD |
Mar Ahoudemmeh, Syrian Orthodox
metropolitan of Tagrit and Nineveh was martyred by Khusraw king of
Persia, who had him beheaded. This barbaric act followed Mar
Ahoudemmeh's preaching and the subsequent conversion to
Christianity and baptism of George, a member of the Persian royal family
and many others.
According to Vööbus, [38] Mar Ahoudemmeh's
anonymous biographer quotes the gospels in the Peshitta version. However,
according to a new study by the present author, Mar Ahoudemmeh's
biographer did not use the Peshitta. For example, in the Syriac
text published by Françoise Nau, [71], p. 21, Matthew 28v19 is quoted from
the gospel version of Philoxenus using a form of words which first
occurs in Philoxenus' own works, 'Go forth, disciple and baptize all
the peoples!'. The same wording was quoted again by Moshe Bar Kepha
later in the 9th century AD. The historical attestation of this
reading shows very clearly where it came from. The wording found in the
Peshitta version differs in several details, 'Go, disciple all the
peoples and baptize them!' |
[38], p. 93
[71], pp. 11,
21 |
|
February
576
AD |
A synod was held presided
over by Catholicos Mar Hazqiel or Ezekiel. The acts
of this synod contain eight gospel quotations. Of these eight, seven are
taken from an Old Syriac gospel manuscript. The first canon
concerns the designation of the Messalians (see above under
AD 366) as heretics on the grounds of sexual immorality. Also according to
the synodal canons, the clergy sought ways to subordinate the monks under
their hierarchical authority.
According to [46], Mar
Hazqiel had been a disciple of catholicos Mar Abha I and he
wrote a commemoration of his master which survives in Mingana Syr 542 A
(j). |
[38], pp. 95, 125
[46],
volume 1, column 997
[50], pp. 368, 368 note 1 |
|
578 AD |
Died Mar Yacub Baradeus
the theologian and Syrian Orthodox bishop of Edessa. |
[22]
[34], p.
XXVII
[60], p. 62 |
|
30th June
578
AD |
Khusraw I Anushirun son of
Kawad was succeeded by his son Hormizd IV. He reigned until the
summer of AD 590.
Reference [37] has a less exact date of 577 or 578
AD.
Reference [50], p. 390 note 1 has February AD 579 and [59], [71]
also have this year. |
[37], p. xii
[50], pp. 390
note 1, 391 note 2
[59], p. ix
[71], pp. 31, 52 |
|
578 AD |
After a gap of a few years,
Mar Qamisho` was ordained as Syrian Orthodox metropolitan of
Tagrit and all the East. He sat until AD 609. |
[71], p. 54 |
|
580 AD |
Christian Arab Lakhmid
king al-Nu'man III began his reign. He ruled the towns of Najaf and
Karbala situated in present day Iraq. He ruled until AD 602 when he was
assassinated by the Sassanid king of Persia. |
[60], p. 43 |
|
580 or 581 AD |
Died Mar
Hazqiel East Syrian catholicos. The date is derived from 3
ancient sources, [38]. |
[38], volume 2, p. 33
|
|
Between 30th
June
and 30th September
581 AD
(AG 892) |
Isho`yabh I of Arzon
became East Syrian catholicos. He died during the 15th year of
his patriarchate which began late summer AD 595.
Reference [50], p. 370
has the election date as AD 582 or 583.
Reference [50], p. 371 note 3
cites an ancient source who gives the year of his election as AG 892 =
between October 1st AD 580 and September 30th AD
581. Based upon the date of the synod in AD 585, the interval of his
election can be narrowed down to between the 30th June and the
30th September AD 581. |
[24], p. 125
[50], pp. 370
note 2, 371 note 3 |
|
Between
30th
June and
30th September
585 AD
(In the 8th
year of Hormizd the king, and the 4th year of Isho`yabh
[50]) |
A synod was held presided
over by the East Syrian catholicos Isho`yabh I of Arzon. The acts
of this synod contain sixteen gospel quotations. Of these only a quarter
reflect the tenacity of the Old Syriac text type. One canon issued
by this synod forbade ordinary Christians from visiting monasteries and
cells on Sundays and festivals. This was because many were visiting the
monasteries in preference to attending church. Excommunicated at this
synod was Hannana or Henana of Hedhaiyabh the
sixth director of the School of Nisibis who had dared to challenge some of
Theodore of Mopsuestia's teachings, (see below under AD 596),
[54].
Isho`yabh I of Arzon
wrote an historical and theological commentary upon the trisagion of the
East Syrian church which is preserved in a 14th century MS,
Mingana Syr 561 part C, [46].
Isho`yabh was a friend
of the Christian Arab king Herta al-Hirah Abu
Kabus Numan ibn al-Mundhir whose daughter, Hind, had founded
the Arabic speaking monastery, (see above under AD 560) where Isho`yabh
later died in AD 596. |
[24], pp. 125, 129,
130
[38], pp. 95, 129
[46], volume 1, column 1043
[50], pp. 391
notes 2, 3, 422 note 2
[54], p. ix f. |
|
January
588
AD |
Died Abraham of
Kashkar an East Syrian monastic reformer, [53]. Abraham created a new
monastic centre based on the mount Izla monastery he founded near
Nisibis, [50], (this monastery was also called the Great Convent). Again,
the Izla monastic movement was a reaction to the suppression of the monks
by the East Syrian clergy. Nevertheless, the monks had certain
restrictions placed upon them by the clergy.
Abraham was succeeded by
Dadisho` as acting director of this movement before the death of
Abraham. Afterward, Abraham lived to be about 97 years old, [35] and he
died around January AD 588. Dadisho` himself died in AD 604. This Dadisho`
abbot of the Izla monastery has been confused by myself and by Wright [24]
with Dadisho` Qatraya an East Syrian recluse and learned author who
flourished later about AD 690, which see. |
[24], p. 131
[35], p.
171
[38], vol. 1, pp. 97f, 129
[50], p. 562
[53], pp. 150,
165
[60], p. 54 |
|
27th June
590
AD |
Khusraw II Parwez
Hormezd became king of Persia, [50]. He reigned until AD 628, [60].
His wife, Queen Shirin was converted to the Syrian Orthodox faith
through the king's physician Gabriel, [60].
Reference [37] has the less
exact date as AD 589 or 590. |
[37] p. xii
Hatch 'Album',
p. 212
[50], p. 390 note 1, 391 note 3, 456 note 1
[60], p.
66 |
|
593 AD |
Died Simon Stylites the
Younger.
Simon corresponded with the
famous East Syrian writer Isaac of Nineveh. Isaac was a monk of the
convent of Mar Matthew in Mosul, then an anchorite who roamed the
mountains of Susiana and later he was bishop of Mosul or Nineveh. However,
he soon resigned his see and went to the desert of Scete in NW Egypt where
he wrote his ascetic works. These are very rich in gospel quotations taken
from an Old Syriac manuscript. The Old Syriac quotations in these
quotations have occasionally been altered towards the Peshitta during
transmission, but much more often, the Old Syriac elements remain in the
text. This suggests that the Peshitta readings were added in the margin by
later readers and then incorporated in the text when manuscript copies
were made. |
[24], p. 110
[38], pp. 102
– 103 |
|
Between 27th June
594 and 26th June 595 AD |
Ya`qob of Lashom came
to live at the East Syrian Monastery of Beth `Abhe. This monastery
may have been founded at this time or before by this Mar Y`aqob,
(or Rabban Jacob), but no solid historical information exists about
Beth `Abhe before AD 594. Ya`qob of Lashom had been a monk at the
Great Monastery of Mount Izla when Dadisho` was Abbot there. He was
expelled from The Izla Monastery unjustly by the heavy-handed abbot,
Babai the Great. Ya`qob of Lashom tutored Sahdona who became
famous in the mid seventh century, q.v. |
[63], p. xlvii based on three
ancient sources; pp. lxx-lxxiiv |
|
596 AD
(AG 907, `Amr
[50]
AG 906, Eliya [50]) |
Whilst on a pastoral visit in
the area, the East Syrian catholicos Isho`yabh I of Arzon died and
was buried nearby at the monastery of Hind, who was the daughter of
his friend king Herta al-Hirah Abu Kabus Numan ibn
al-Mundhir. |
[24], p. 130
[46], volume
1, column 1043
[50], p. 391 note 3 |
|
596 AD |
Sabhr-isho` I who had
been bishop of Lashom was appointed by Khusraw the king as east Syrian
catholicos. He had studied under the direction of Mar Abraham the
Commentator at the School of Nisibis. |
[50], p. 456 note 2
[63],
p. lxxiv |
|
May
596 AD |
Sabhr-isho` I east
Syrian catholicos held a synod. |
[50], p. 456 note
1 |
|
596 AD |
Lived Hnana or
Henana or Hannana of Hedhaiyabhe (i.e. Of
Adiabene) a theologian and the director of the East Syrian School
of Nisibis. Henana studied in this school and later became it's
6th director after Mar Narsai, from AD 572 to 610, [59].
He was condemned as a heretic in AD 585 by Isho`yabha I of Arzon
and again in May AD 596 at the synod called by the newly elected
catholicos, Sabhr-isho`. As can be seen from his surviving
theological treatise, (edited by Scher, see below), Henana used an
Old Syriac manuscript of the gospels. Despite being denounced in
this way, Henana's works were extensively quoted by important later
East Syrian authors like Isho`dad of Merv, see later under AD
852.
Addai Scher, Archbishop of
Séert in Kurdistan, (died 1916): 'Traités d'Isai le docteur et de Hnana
d'Adiabène sur les martyrs, le Vendredi d'or et les rogations : suivis de
la Confession de foi à réciter par les évêques avant l'ordination'
Patrologia Orientalis, tome 7, fasc. 1, Paris 1909 and later
reprints |
[24], p. 125
[32], para
30
[38], p. 96
Isho`dad of Merv
[54], p. ix f.
[59], p.
x |
|
March
598 AD |
Catholicos Sabhr-isho`
I received a servile letter from the leaders of the monastic movement
in the Shigar region of Persia, west of Mosul, promising obedience and the
catholicos wrote a reply. |
[50], p. 461 |
|
October to December
599
AD |
An East Syrian manuscript of
the four gospels was copied. It was one of the 42 Peshitta
manuscripts collated by G. H. Gwilliam for the BFBS Peshitta gospel text.
The manuscript is dated 10th year of Khusraw II (AD 588 to 599)
and AG 911 (October AD 599 to September 600). The manuscript was copied in
Teldainor, in the district of Beth Nuhadra. |
[20]
BL Add.
14460
Hatch 'Album', p. 211 |
|
c. 600 AD |
Lived Abraham
Nethperaya and anchorite monk from Nethpar near Arbela. Abraham's
discourses survive in the following manuscripts, BL Add. Cod. 14614 and
Orient 6714 of the 9th or 10th century. In these,
Abraham quotes from an Old Syriac gospel manuscript. None of
Abraham's many works have been published, but an English translation of
one of his treatises has been published by Dr. S. Brock,
[61]. |
[24], pp. 111 – 112
[38],
p. 97
[61], pp. 188 – 196 |
