Syriac studies is the study of the

Syriac language The Syriac language ( ; ), also known natively in its spoken form in early Syriac literature as Edessan (), the Mesopotamian language () and Aramaic (), is an Aramaic#Eastern Middle Aramaic, Eastern Middle Aramaic dialect. Classical Syriac is ...

and

Syriac Christianity Syriac Christianity (, ''Mšiḥoyuṯo Suryoyto'' or ''Mšiḥāyūṯā Suryāytā'') is a branch of Eastern Christianity of which formative Christian theology, theological writings and traditional Christian liturgy, liturgies are expressed in ...

. A specialist in Syriac studies is known as a Syriacist. Specifically, British, French, and German scholars of the 18th and 19th centuries who were involved in the study of Syriac/Aramaic language and literature were commonly known by this designation, at a time when the Syriac language was little understood outside Assyrian and Maronite Christian communities, as well as larger communities adhering to

. In Germany the field of study is distinguished between ''Aramaistik'' (Aramaic studies) and ''Neuaramaistik'' (Neo-Aramaic (Syriac) studies). At universities, Syriac studies are mostly incorporated into a more 'general' field of studies, such as

Eastern Christianity Eastern Christianity comprises Christianity, Christian traditions and Christian denomination, church families that originally developed during Classical antiquity, classical and late antiquity in the Eastern Mediterranean region or locations fu ...

at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London,

Aramaic studies Aramaic studies are scientific studies of the Aramaic languages and literature. As a specific field within Semitic studies, Aramaic studies are closely related to similar disciplines, like Hebraic studies and Arabic studies. As a distinctive ac ...

at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

and

University of Leiden Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; ) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange as a Protestant institution, it holds the distinction of being the oldest university in the Neth ...

Duke University Duke University is a Private university, private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity, North Carolina, Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1 ...

, or

Semitic studies Semitic studies, or Semitology, is the academic field dedicated to the studies of Semitic languages and literatures and the history of the Semitic-speaking peoples. A person may be called a ''Semiticist'' or a ''Semitist'', both terms being equi ...

at the

Freie Universität Berlin The Free University of Berlin (, often abbreviated as FU Berlin or simply FU) is a public university, public research university in Berlin, Germany. It was founded in West Berlin in 1948 with American support during the early Cold War period a ...

. Most students learn the

within a

biblical studies Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible, with ''Bible'' referring to the books of the canonical Hebrew Bible in mainstream Jewish usage and the Christian Bible including the can ...

program. Conferences for Syriac studies include the Symposium Syriacum, the Section "Bible and Syriac Studies in Context" at the International Meetings of the

Society of Biblical Literature The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), founded in 1880 as the Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis, is an American-based learned society dedicated to the academic study of the Bible and related ancient literature. Its current stated mis ...

, and the Section "Syriac Literature and Interpretations of Sacred Texts" at the Annual Meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature. Syriac academic journals include the annual ''Oriens Christianus'' (

Wiesbaden Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...

) and ''Syriac Studies Today''. '' Syriaca.org'' is a centralized academic portal for Syriac studies.

Contemporary Syriacists and Orientalists

The history of the Syriac studies and the Syriac heritage has been documented and analyzed by a diverse range of historians across centuries. Their work have provided invaluable insights into their language, heritage, religion, and interactions with dominant empires and surrounding cultures. Below is a list of a few of them

15th to 18th Centuries

# Teseo Ambrogio degli Albonesi (1469–1540) was an early Italian humanist who introduced Syriac and other Oriental languages to European scholarship, notably through his Introductio in Chaldaicam linguam, Syriacam, atque Armenicam, et decem alias linguas (1539). # Guillaume Postel (1510–1581), a French scholar also made significant contributions, recognizing the relationship between various Semitic languages and acquiring numerous Eastern manuscripts. #

Sebastian Münster Sebastian Münster (20 January 1488 – 26 May 1552) was a German cartographer and cosmographer. He also was a Christian Hebraist scholar who taught as a professor at the University of Basel. His well-known work, the highly accurate world map, ...

(1488–1552), a German Hebraist who extended his work to Aramaic (then often termed "Chaldaic"), publishing a Grammatica Chaldaica (1527) and a Dictionarium Chaldaicum (1527). # Edmund Castell (1606–1685), an English scholar, produced the Lexicon Heptaglotton (1669), a seven-language dictionary including comprehensive sections on Syriac and Aramaic ("Chaldaicum"), which remained a standard reference for centuries. # The Assemani Family (primarily 18th century, but with lasting influence): Though their primary work predates the 19th century,

Giuseppe Simone Assemani Giuseppe Simone Assemani ( Classical Syriac : ܝܵܘܣܸܦ ܒܲܪ ܫܸܡܥܘܿܢ , ( ''Yusuf ibn Siman as-Simani'', , ; July 27, 1687 – January 13, 1768) was a librarian, Lebanese Maronite orientalist, and Catholic bishop. For his efforts, an ...

(1687-1768) and his nephew Stefano Evodio Assemani (1707-1782) laid indispensable groundwork. Their Bibliotheca Orientalis Clementino Vaticana was a cornerstone for Syriac scholarship for generations, heavily influencing 19th-century research.

19th Century

Robert Payne Smith Robert Payne Smith (7 November 1818 – 31 March 1895) was Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford and Canon of Christ Church from 1865 until 1870, when he was appointed Dean of Canterbury by Queen Victoria on the advice of W ...

(1818–1895): He compiled the monumental Thesaurus Syriacus (1868–1901), a comprehensive dictionary of the Syriac language. # Jessie Payne Smith (Margoliouth) (1856–1933): Daughter of Robert Payne made this vast work more accessible by producing ''A Compendious Syriac Dictionary'' in 1903. #

Ernest Renan Joseph Ernest Renan (; ; 27 February 18232 October 1892) was a French Orientalist and Semitic scholar, writing on Semitic languages and civilizations, historian of religion, philologist, philosopher, biblical scholar, and critic. He wrote wo ...

(1823–1892): The French scholar, in his broad work on the history of religions and Semitic languages, also contributed to the understanding of Aramean and early Syriac history. # William Wright (1830–1889): His cataloging of Syriac manuscripts in the British Museum and editions of historical texts made primary sources accessible to a wider scholarly audience. # William Cureton (1808-1864): An English Orientalist, Cureton is renowned for his discovery and publication of important Syriac manuscripts, including the Curetonian Gospels, an early recension of the Syriac Gospels.

20th Century and later years

# John Gwynn (1827-1917): An Irish Syriacist whose work bridged the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is noted for his editions of Syriac New Testament texts, including a critical edition of the Apocalypse. # E. R. Hayes: A French scholar who contributed to the field of Syriac studies, and he is known for his work on the Syriac versions of early Christian texts. His contributions aided in understanding the transmission and development of biblical and theological literature in Syriac. He published his book, ''Ecole d'Édesse'', about the School of Edessa in 1930 # E. W. Brooks (1884–1957): A scholar of Byzantine and Syriac studies and he was primarily known for his critical editions and translations of Greek and Syriac historical texts. His meticulous work on these primary sources significantly advanced the study of early Christian and Byzantine history. # François Nau (1864–1931): A French Orientalist, specializing in Syriac and Armenian studies. He made significant contributions to the publication and translation of early Christian texts from these traditions and his work provided valuable insights into the history of Christian thought and communities in the Near East. # C. Anton Baumstark (1872–1948): A German Catholic priest and prominent scholar of comparative liturgy and Oriental Christianity. He developed the "Baumstark's Law," which describes the tendency for liturgical developments to spread from older to newer centers and his extensive research documented the diverse liturgical traditions of the Eastern Christian churches. # Theodor Nöldeke (1836–1930): A foundational figure in Semitic philology, Nöldeke's work on Syriac grammar and literature inherently touched upon historical contexts, and he wrote influential studies on the ancient Semitic world, including Arameans. #

Eduard Sachau Carl Eduard Sachau (20 July 1845 – 17 September 1930) was a German orientalist. He taught Josef Horovitz and Eugen Mittwoch. Biography He studied oriental languages at the Universities of Kiel and Leipzig, obtaining his PhD at Halle in 186 ...

(1845-1930): A German Orientalist, Sachau made significant contributions through his expeditions to the Middle East and his meticulous work on Syriac manuscripts. His Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the Royal Library of Berlin (1899) remains a vital resource. # James Rendel Harris (1852-1941): An English biblical scholar and manuscript curator. He played a key role in uncovering Syriac Scriptures and early documents. Harris notably discovered the Syriac text of the Apology of Aristides. He was a prolific writer on biblical and patristic history. # Jean-Baptiste Chabot (1860–1948): A French Syriac scholar who edited and translated numerous important Syriac historical texts, including the Chronicle of Michael the Syrian and the Chronicle of Edessa. # Rubens Duval (1839-1911): A French Orientalist, Duval published important works on Syriac literature and grammar, including his Traité de grammaire syriaque (1881) and editions of various Syriac texts, contributing to the linguistic tools available to scholars. # Paul Peeters (1870-1950): A Belgian Bollandist, Peeters made significant contributions to Syriac hagiography, notably through his work on the Bibliotheca Hagiographica Orientalis, an essential catalog of saints' lives in Eastern Christian traditions. #

Carl Brockelmann Carl Brockelmann (17 September 1868 – 6 May 1956) German Semitic studies, Semiticist, was the foremost Orientalism, orientalist of his generation. He was a professor at the universities in University of Wrocław, Breslau, Berlin and, from 1903, ...

(1868-1956): While his major works, particularly the Lexicon Syriacum (1928) and Syrische Grammatik (1924), were published in the 20th century, Brockelmann's formative period and early contributions began in the late 19th century. His comprehensive lexicographical and grammatical work has been indispensable for generations of Syriacists. # Arthur Vööbus (1909–1988): An Estonian-American scholar, Vööbus made monumental contributions to the study of Syriac ecclesiastical history, monasticism, and literature, particularly through his discovery and publication of manuscripts. # Jean-Maurice Fiey (1914–1995): A Dominican scholar who made monumental contributions to the historical geography and ecclesiastical history of Syriac Christianity, particularly the Church of the East, with works like Assyrie Chrétienne. # Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum (1887–1957): A Syriac Orthodox Patriarch and scholar, his The Scattered Pearls: A History of Syriac Literature and Sciences provides an invaluable insider's historical account of Syriac intellectual and cultural heritage. # Klaus Beyer (1929-2014): A German Semitist, Beyer was renowned for his monumental work Die aramäischen Texte vom Toten Meer (1984, with a supplement in 1994, and an Ergänzungsband in 2004), which provided an exhaustive grammar and lexicon of the Aramaic Dead Sea Scrolls. He also published extensively on other Aramaic dialects. # Sebastian P. Brock (born 1938): A leading contemporary Syriac scholar, Brock has profoundly influenced the field with his extensive writings on all aspects of Syriac history, literature, and theology, emphasizing the richness and diversity of Syriac Christianity. # David G.K. Taylor: A prominent British Syriacist, Taylor has contributed significantly to the understanding of Syriac history, particularly in relation to biblical versions and the broader cultural context of Syriac Christianity. # Andrew Palmer: Known for his work on Syriac chronicles and the history of the Syriac Orthodox Church, particularly through his annotated translation of the Chronicle of Zuqnin. # Daniel King: A scholar focusing on Syriac philosophy and the transmission of Greek thought into Syriac. He is also known for his editorial work, including ''The Syriac World'', a comprehensive overview of the field. # Amir Harrak: Known for his work on Syriac chronicles and inscriptions, including the Chronicle of Zuqnin. # Françoise Briquel-Chatonnet: A French scholar specializing in Semitic studies, including the history and epigraphy of Aramean and Syriac cultures. # Muriel Debié: A historian focusing on Syriac historiography and the cultural interactions between Syriac Christians and the surrounding societies in late antiquity and the early Islamic period.

References

External links