Guides to the Editions
This classic article is the single best survey of and guide to chronicles and historical writing in Syriac. The article we have linked to is taken directly from the original publication and not from the reprint in one of Brock's Variorum volumes. Brock's article should be the starting point for anyone looking for an orientation to what is available in Syriac in terms of historical writing and also for anyone seeking bibliographic guidance.
Another classic and foundational article by Brock which is useful and important for the student of Syriac historiography as well as the student of seventh-century history. An excellent compliment to Brock's article on the main sources of Syriac historical writing.
Eusebius
Eusebius of Caesarea's Ecclesiastical History, surviving in a manuscript dated to AD 462, is the oldest extant historical work in Syriac. The Syriac ms of Eusebius is four or five centuries older than the earliest Greek manuscripts of the same work.
The Syriac text was published in the following:
A German translation was done by Eberhard Nestle:
Socrates
Socrates’ Ecclesiastical History was available in Syriac in the medieval period and was used by authors such as Michael the Syrian.
A portion of Socrates’ Ecclesiastical History survives in Vatican Syriac 145 (ff.22v-65v). 9 folios from Socrates' Ecclesiastical History are also preserved in a Syriac manuscript at the Wellcome Institute in London. This manuscript apparently once contained a copy of the entire work.
Here is Assemani's description of the portions of Socrates contained in Vatican Syriac 145.
Theodoret
The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret was also available in the medieval period.
A portion of Theodoret's Ecclesiastical History survives in Vatican Syriac 145 (ff. 65v-78v).
Here is Assemani's description of the portions of Theodoret contained in Vatican Syriac 145.
East Syrian Epitome of Early Church History
There is also an an anonymous East Syrian ("Nestorian") work of early church history, extant in a manuscript dated AD 1703. It draws on earlier material, especially the ecclesiastical histories of Socrates and Theodoret.
This text was first edited and translated by Emil Goeller in 1901:
West Syrian (Miaphysite, Melkite, Maronite)
Joshua the Stylite (early 6th cent.)
Survives as part of the Zuqnin Chronicle below.
John of Ephesus (c.508–c.588)
- E.W. Brooks has published this work in three sections:
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., “John of Ephesus: Lives of the Eastern Saints (I)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1923, pp. 1-307.
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., “John of Ephesus. Lives of the Eastern Saints (II)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1924, pp. 513-698.
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., “John of Ephesus: Lives of the Eastern Saints (III)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1926, pp. 151-285.
- W. Cureton, The Third Part of the Ecclesiastical History of John, Bishop of Ephesus. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1853.
- R. P. Smith, The Third Part of the Ecclesiastical History of John, Bishop of Ephesus. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1860.
- J. P. N. Land, Ed., Joannis Episcopi Ephesi monophysitae scripta historica quotquot adhuc inedita supererant, vol. 2, 4 vol. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1868.
Excerpts from Part 2 of John's Ecclesiastical History begin here. For a longer discussion of the preservation of Part 2 and its relationship to the Zuqnin Chronicle, see the John of Ephesus page.
Chronicle of Edessa (mid. 6th cent.)
Other editions and translations:
B. H. Cowper, “Selections from the Syriac. No. I: The Chronicle of Edessa”, The Journal of Sacred Literature and Biblical Record, vol. 5.9, pp. 28-45, 1864.
The Syriac text was first published by Assemani:
- J. S. Assemani, Ed., “Chronicon Edessenum”, in Bibliothecae Orientalis Clementino-Vaticanae, Tomus primum de Scriptoribus Syris Orthodoxis, vol. 1, Rome: Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, 1719, pp. 387-429.
The text was also edited with German translation and introduction by Ludwig Hallier:
Pseudo-Zacharias Rhetor (of Mytilene), Ecclesiastical History (Syr. trans late 6th century)
- Syriac text:
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Historia ecclesiastica Zachariae rhetori vulgo adscripta (I), vol. 1, 2 vol. Louvain: L. Durbecq, 1919.
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Historia ecclesiastica Zachariae rhetori vulgo adscripta; Accedit fragmentum Historiae ecclesiasticae Dionysii Telmahrensis (II), vol. 2, 2 vol. Louvain: L. Durbecq, 1953.
- Latin translation:
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Historia Ecclesiastica Zachariae Rhetori Vulgo Adscripta I [Versio], vol. 1, 2 vol. Louvain: L. Durbecq, 1924.
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Historia Ecclesiastica Zachariae Rhetori Vulgo Adscripta II [Versio], vol. 2, 2 vol. Louvain: L. Durbecq, 1924.
- See also Brock's discussion here from pp. 4-5 of the following:
- F. J. Hamilton and Brooks, E. W., Eds., The Syriac Chronicle Known as that of Zachariah of Mitylene. London: Methuen & Co., 1899.
- K. Ahrens and Krüger, G., Eds., Die sogennante Kirchengeschichte des Zacharias Rhetor. Leipzig: B.G. Teubner, 1899.
- J. P. N. Land, Ed., Zachariae Episcopi Mitylenes aliorumque Scripta Historica Graece plerumque deperdita, vol. 3, 4 vol. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1870.
- N.B. Before using the Anecdota Syriaca, you should read the review of Wright and that of Payne-Smith:
Melkite Chronicle from Sinai Syriac 10
Fragment on the Arab Invasions
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Chronica Minora II [Textus]. Leipzig; Paris: Otto Harrassowitz; Poussielgue, 1904.
- An account of the mid-seventh century Arab invasions, perhaps contemporary, which was written down in a sixth-century Gospel manuscript. See Jack Tannous's English translation:
- Brock's discussion is here from page 18 of the following:
Maronite Chronicle (660s)
Jacob of Edessa, Chronological Canon (d. 708)
- E. W. Brooks, “The Chronological Canon of James of Edessa”, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft, vol. 53, pp. 261-327, 1899.
- E. W. Brooks, “The Chronological Canon of James of Edessa”, Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft, vol. 54, pp. 100-102, 1900.
Jacob of Edessa, Chronicle (d. 708)
- E. W. Brooks, Guidi, I., and Chabot, J. - B., Eds., Chronica Minora, III [Textus], vol. 1, 2 vol. Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1905.
- See Brock's discussion here from page 8 of the following:
Historical Notices for 712–716
Chronicon ad annum 724
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Chronica Minora II [Textus]. Leipzig; Paris: Otto Harrassowitz; Poussielgue, 1904.
- J. P. N. Land, Ed., Symbolae Syriacae, vol. 1, 4 vol. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1867.
- First edited by Land on pages 1–24.
- It is also known as the Liber Calipharum, or Book of Caliphs, because of a list of Arab rulers, from Muhammad to Yazid II (reg. AD 720–724/AH 101–105), comes at p. 155. See Jack Tannous's English translation of the list:
- See Brock's discussion here from page 9 of the following:
- B. H. Cowper, Syriac Miscellanies; or Extracts Relating to the First and Second General Councils, and Various other Quotations Theological, Historical, & Classical. London: Williams and Norgate, 1861.
- Selections from the Chronicle to 724 were translated on pp. 75-92.
Various Extracts on AD 501/2, 505/6, and 763/4
- E. W. Brooks, Guidi, I., and Chabot, J. - B., Eds., Chronica Minora, III [Textus], vol. 1, 2 vol. Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1905.
- The first two entries are on Amid and the third is on the rule of Musa b. Mus'ab.
- See Brock's description here from page 9 of the following:
Chronicon ad annum 775
- E. W. Brooks, Guidi, I., and Chabot, J. - B., Eds., Chronica Minora, III [Textus], vol. 1, 2 vol. Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1905.
- Begins with Adam and ends in the eighth century; most of the material offered is BC.
- See Brock's description here from page 9 of the following:
- See Brock's description here from page 20 of the following:
Zuqnin Chronicle / Chronicle of Pseudo-Dionysios of Tel Mahre (776)
- French translation of the fourth part only
- Chabot's edition is available here in 3 volumes:
- See Brock's description here from pages 10-13 of the following:
- See Brock's description here from pages 20-21 of the following:
Chronicon ad annum 813
- E. W. Brooks, Guidi, I., and Chabot, J. - B., Eds., Chronica Minora, III [Textus], vol. 1, 2 vol. Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1905.
- Pp. 243–260
- The chronicle as it stands is fragmentary and extant material deals with AD 775–813.
- Before publishing it in the CSCO, Brooks also published the text of this chronicle, with an ET in the ZDMG:
- See Brock's discussion here from page 13 of the following:
Chronicon ad annum 819
Chronicon ad annum 846
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Chronica Minora II [Textus]. Leipzig; Paris: Otto Harrassowitz; Poussielgue, 1904.
- Before this edition, Brooks published an earlier edition of the Chronicle, along with an English translation of it:
- See Brock's discussion here on page 14 of the following:
- See Brock's discussion here on page 21 of the following:
Dionysios of Tel Mahre
Syrian Orthodox Patriarch from 818–845, he recorded an Ecclesiastical History covering 582–842 CE. While longer excerpts have been incorprated into the works of Michael the Syrian, one fragmant is to be found edited with the works of Pseudo-Zecharias Rhetor.
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Historia ecclesiastica Zachariae rhetori vulgo adscripta (I), vol. 1, 2 vol. Louvain: L. Durbecq, 1919.
- E. W. Brooks, Ed., Historia Ecclesiastica Zachariae Rhetori Vulgo Adscripta II [Versio], vol. 2, 2 vol. Louvain: L. Durbecq, 1924.
- See Brock's discussion here on pages 14-15 of the following:
Michael the Syrian (d. 1199)
- French Translation
- J. - B. Chabot, Chronique de Michel le Syrien, patriarche jacobite d'Antioche, 1166-1199, vol. 1, 4 vol. Paris: E. Leroux, 1899.
- J. - B. Chabot, Chronique de Michel le Syrien, patriarche jacobite d'Antioche, 1166-1199, vol. 2, 4 vol. Paris: E. Leroux, 1901.
- J. - B. Chabot, Chronique de Michel le Syrien, patriarche jacobite d'Antioche, 1166-1199, vol. 3, 4 vol. Paris: E. Leroux, 1905.
- Text
- Michael the Syrian in Armenian
- Text
- French Translation
- English Translation
Drawing on other-lost works (e.g., the chronicles of Dionysios of Tell Mahre, John of Litarba and Jacob of Edessa) and at times confusing to use (there are three columns to navigate, each with a different focus), for medieval historians Michael the Syrian represents the most important of all Syriac chronicles. The Syriac text was published in volume 4 of Chabot's edition and translation; it was a reproduction of a hand-written copy based on an early modern, complete, copy of Michael that is now held in the Church of the Edessenes in Hayy al-Suryan in Aleppo. The scribe that Chabot had copy out the work did a remarkable job at reproducing this manuscript, but the Syriac text can nevertheless at times be very difficult to make out. Recently, HMML, Gorgias Press, and the Bishop of Aleppo joined forces to produce a facsimile edition of the Aleppo copy of Michael, the publication of which was a landmark. Arabic translations of Michael also exist, most importantly perhaps in the Christian village of Sadad in Syria, and it has been suggested that the Aleppo copy of Michael may or may not actually represent the entirety of Michael's original text--there may be sections which have been omitted or lost; studying the Syriac alongside the Arabic (which remains unpublished, but there are plans to put out a facsimile of the Arabic as well) may be able to help resolve this question.
- See Brock's discussion here from pages 15-17 of the following:
- See Brock's discussion here from pages 21-22 of the following:
- For a comprehensive outline of the Chronicle of Michael the Syrian can be found at syri.ac:
Chronicon ad annum 1234
- Syriac
- I. A. Barsoum and Chabot, J. - B., Eds., Chronicon anonymi auctoris ad annum Christi 1234 pertinens [textus], vol. 1, 2 vol. Louvain: L. Durbecq, 1920.
- Secular history begins in volume 1, here.
- J. - B. Chabot, Ed., Chronicon anonymi auctoris ad annum Christi 1234 pertinens. Louvain: L. Durbecq, 1917.
- Ecclesiastical history begins in volume 2, here.
- Latin Translation
- See Brock's discussion here on pp. 17-18 from the following:
- See Brock's discussion here on p. 22 from the following:
Bar Hebraeus (d. 1286)
Chronicon
- P. Bedjan, Ed., Gregorii Barhebræi Chronicon Syriacum e codd. mss. emendatum ac punctis vocalibus adnotationibusque locupletatum. Paris: Maisonneuve, 1890.
- E. A. W. Budge, Ed., The Chronography of Gregory Abû'l Faraj, the Son of Aaron, the Hebrew Physician, Commonly Known as Bar Hebraeus: Being the First Part of his Political History of the Word: Translated from the Syriac, 2 vol. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1932.
- Budge’s English translation is not yet available in the public domain, but it has been transcribed. NB: He translated from Bedjan, but photolithographically reproduced (in reverse negative) a different MS.
- See Brock's discussion here on pages 19-20 from the following:
- See Brock's discussion here on page 23 from the following:
- A more thorough analysis of the Chronicon can be found at the following:
Ecclesiastical History
- Syriac Text
- J. - B. Abbeloos and Lamy, T. J., Eds., Gregorii Barhebraei Chronicon ecclesiasticum, vol. 1, 3 vol. Louvain: Peeters, 1872.
- J. - B. Abbeloos and Lamy, T. J., Eds., Gregorii Barhebraei Chronicon ecclesiasticum, vol. 2, 3 vol. Paris/Louvain: Maisonneuve/Peeters, 1874.
- J. - B. Abbeloos and Lamy, T. J., Eds., Gregorii Barhebræi Chronicon ecclesiasticum, vol. 3, 3 vol. Paris/Louvain: Maisonneuve/Peeters, 1877.
This edition has typos in it. The edition in the Oriental Institute in Oxford is the personal copy of Mrs. Margoliouth and you can read her emendations in the side margins if you have access to it. (It would be nice to have a scan of those!) UPenn has Nöldeke’s personal copy and you can similarly read his emendations there if you have access to it; somebody, however, rebound the book and, tragically, cut the margins, so some of Nöldeke’s corrections have been lost.
- See Brock's discussion here on pp. 19-20 in the following:
- See Brock's discussion here on pp. 22-23 in the following:
- A more thorough analysis of the Ecclesiastical History can be found at the following:
Earlier Editions:
- E. Pococke, Ed., Specimen historiae Arabum, sive, Gregorii Abul Farajii Malatiensis : de origine & moribus Arabum succincta narratio, in linguam Latinam conversa, notisque è probatisimis apud ipsos authoribus, fufiùs illustrata. Oxford: H. Hall, 1650.
- J. White, Ed., Specimen Historiae arabum; auctore Edvardo Pocockio, accessit Historia Veterum Arabum ex Abu'l Feda: Cura Antonii I. Sylvestre de Sacy. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1806.
- P. J. Bruns and Kirsch, G. W., Eds., Gregorii Abulpharagii sive Bar-Hebraei Chronicon Syriacum [Versio], vol. 1, 2 vol. Leipzig: A.F. Boehmium, 1789.
It is good to have access to these older editions; if you use the Thesaurus Syriacus or certain older works, they will cite these editions rather than the newer ones. They are useful to know about for the purpose of tracking down references.
Tarikh Mukhtasar al-Duwal--Compendious History of the Dynasties
This is another historical work by Bar Hebraeus which differs from his Syriac ecclesiastical and secular histories and which contains material found in neither of these. (with thanks to Jan van Ginkel).
Earlier edition:
Continuators of Bar Hebraeus
Secular History:
Ecclesiastical History:
Related West Syrian Material:
East Syrian
Barhadbshabba 'Arbaya, Ecclesiastical History (probably late 6th century)
- F. Nau, Ed., “La seconde partie de l’histoire de Barḥadbešabba ‘Arbaïa et controverse de Théodore de Mopsueste avec les Macédoniens”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1913, pp. 177-343.
- F. Nau, Ed., “La première partie de l’histoire de Barḥadbešabba ‘Arbaïa”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1932, pp. 177-343.
- See Brock's discussion here on pp. 21-22 in the following:
History of Karka d-Beth Slokh (6th cent.)
Chronicle of Arbela / Chronicle of Mshiha Zka
This is a controversial East Syrian Chronicle; with a somewhat obscure and mysterious manuscript history, Fiey accused Mingana (posthumously) of having fabricated the entire text. More recent research has taken the edge off of some of Fiey's sharp criticisms and suggested that it be seen as a medieval compilation which has earlier material at its core. See especially the following:
Khuzistan Chronicle (7th cent.)
This is also referred to as "Guidi's Chronicle", or "the Anonymous Chronicle".
- See Brock's discussion here on page 25 of the following:
- See Brock's discussion here on pages 23-24 of the following:
John of Phenek, Ktaba d-Rish Melle (late 7th cent.)
History of the Monastery of Beth Qoqa
Thomas of Marga, Book of Abbots or Historia Monastica (840)
- P. Bedjan, Ed., Liber superiorum, seu Historia Monastica, auctore Thoma, Episcopo Margensi. Liber Fundatorum Monasteriorum in regno Persarum et Arabum. Homiliae Mar-Narsetis in Joseph. Documenta Patrum de quibusdam verae fidei dogmatibus. Paris; Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1901.
- E. A. W. Budge, Ed., The Book of Governors: The Historia Monastica of Thomas, Bishop of Margâ A.D. 840, Edited from Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum and Other Libraries [Textus], vol. 1, 2 vol. London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., 1893.
- E. A. W. Budge, Ed., The Book of Governors: The Historia Monastica of Thomas, Bishop of Margâ A.D. 840, Edited from Syriac Manuscripts in the British Museum and Other Libraries [Versio], vol. 2, 2 vol. London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trübner, and co., 1893.
- See Brock's discussion here on pp. 26-27 of the following
- M. Reed, “Thomas of Marga”. 2015.
Isho‘dnah of Basra, Liber Castitatis (860s)
- J. - B. Chabot, “Le livre de la Chasteté composé par Jésusdenah, Évêque de Baçrah”, École Française de Rome. Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire, vol. 16, pp. 225-292, 1896.
- P. Bedjan, Ed., Liber superiorum, seu Historia Monastica, auctore Thoma, Episcopo Margensi. Liber Fundatorum Monasteriorum in regno Persarum et Arabum. Homiliae Mar-Narsetis in Joseph. Documenta Patrum de quibusdam verae fidei dogmatibus. Paris; Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1901.
- See Brock's discussion here on pp. 26-27 of the following:
- M. Reed, “Isho'dnah”. 2015.
Chronicle of Seert (1036)
- A. Scher, “Histoire Nestorienne Inédite (Chronique de Séert): Premère partie (I)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1908, pp. 213-312.
- A. Scher, “Histoire Nestorienne Inédite (Chronique de Séert): Premère partie (II)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1910, pp. 217-344.
- A. Scher, “Histoire Nestorienne Inédite (Chronique de Séert): Seconde partie (I)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1911, pp. 95-203.
- A. Scher, “Histoire Nestorienne Inédite (Chronique de Séert): Seconde partie (II)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1919, pp. 435-639.
- See Brock's discussion of the Chronicle of Seert's relationship to the lost Ecclesiastical History of Daniel Bar Maryam and to the Liber Castitatis on pp. 25-27 of the following:
- M. Reed, Ed., “Chronicle of Seert”. 2016.
Mukhtasar al-akhbar al-bi'iyya
- In 2000, Fr. Butrus Haddad published a newly-discovered Arabic chronicle which is related to the Chronicle of Seert
Elias of Nisibis (d. 1046), Opus Chronologicum
- E. W. Brooks and Chabot, J. - B., Eds., Eliae metropolitae Nisibeni opus chronologicum [Textus], vol. 1, 2 vol. Leipzig; Paris: Otto Harrassowitz, 1909.
- E. W. Brooks and Chabot, J. - B., Eds., Eliae metropolitae Nisibeni opus chronologicum II [Textus], vol. 1, 2 vol. Leipzig; Paris: Otto Harrassowitz, 1910.
- L. J. Delaporte, Ed., La Chronographie d'Élie bar-Šinaya. Paris: H. Champion, 1910.
- See Brock's discussion here on pp. 26-27 of the following:
- See Brock's discussion here on pp. 24-25 of the following:
Book of the Tower / Kitab al-majdal
Related Chronicles
Severos b. al-Muqaffa', History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria
- History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria
- B. Evetts, Ed., “History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria I: Saint Mark to Theonas (300)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1907, pp. 101-214.
- B. Evetts, Ed., “History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria II: Peter I to Benjamin I (661)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1907, pp. 383-518.
- B. Evetts, Ed., “History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria III: Agathon to Michael I (766)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1907, pp. 1-215.
- B. Evetts, Ed., “History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria IV: Mennas I to Joseph (849)”, in Patrologia Orientalis, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1915, pp. 359-549.
- C. F. Seybold, Ed., Historia Patriarchorum Alexandrinorum. Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1904.
Though the focus of Severos' history is the leadership of the non-Chalcedonian church of Egypt, it nevertheless contains important information about relations between the Egyptian and Syrian churches and is an important source for students of Syriac literature and history. Roger Pearse has a good overview of Severos' life and work:
John, Bishop of Nikiu, Chronicle
