The School of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (sometimes School of Seleucia) was a theological school of the

Church of the East The Church of the East ( ) or the East Syriac Church, also called the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the Persian Church, the Assyrian Church, the Babylonian Church, the Chaldean Church or the Nestorian Church, is one of three major branches o ...

located in the western half of the city of Seleucia-Ctesiphon on the right bank of the

Tigris The Tigris ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the eastern of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian Desert, Syrian and Arabia ...

. It was an independent Christian school, not attached to any particular church or monastery. The origins of the school are unclear. The Patriarch Acacius (485–495/6) taught in Seleucia-Ctesiphon after leaving the

School of Edessa The School of Edessa () was a Christian theology, Christian theological school of great importance to the Syriac language, Syriac-speaking world. It had been founded as long ago as the 2nd century by the kings of the Abgarid dynasty, Abgar dynasty. ...

and this has been taken as evidence for the school existing in the late 5th century. According to the foundation legend found in the '' Chronicle of Siirt'', the Patriarch

Aba I Aba I (or, with his Syriac honorific, Mar Aba I) or Mar Abba the Great was the Patriarch of the Church of the East at Seleucia-Ctesiphon from 540 to 552. He introduced to the church the anaphoras of Theodore of Mopsuestia and Nestorius beside ...

(540–552) defeated a

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...

adversary in a debate and founded the school at that very spot. This, however, is not mentioned in Aba's earlier and more reliable biography. A fragment of Barḥadbshabba's ''On the Cause of the Foundation of the Schools'' also ascribes the founding of the school to Aba I. The historian

Jean Maurice Fiey Jean Maurice Fiey (30 March 1914 – 10 November 1995) was a French Dominican Father and prominent Church historian and Syriacist. Biography Fiey was born in Armentières on 30 March 1914, he entered the Dominican Order at an early age and rece ...

concluded that the school of Acacius was re-founded under Aba. The ''Chronicle of Siirt'' states that it was restored and rebuilt under the Patriarch

Ezekiel Ezekiel, also spelled Ezechiel (; ; ), was an Israelite priest. The Book of Ezekiel, relating his visions and acts, is named after him. The Abrahamic religions acknowledge Ezekiel as a prophet. According to the narrative, Ezekiel prophesied ...

(567–581). It was certainly in existence by that time. Its early prestige can be judged by the fact that its headmaster or director, Ishai at the time, took part in the selection of a new patriarch. Between 596 and 602, the Roman emperor Maurice sent Maruta, bishop of Chalcedon, as ambassador to the Sasanian king

Khosrau II Khosrow II (spelled Chosroes II in classical sources; and ''Khosrau''), commonly known as Khosrow Parviz (New Persian: , "Khosrow the Victorious"), is considered to be the last great Sasanian King of Kings (Shahanshah) of Iran, ruling from 590 ...

. The ambassador listened to lectures at the school, gave gifts to the students and was received directions for his return journey from the headmaster, Bokhtisho . The school appears to have been at the centre of the Christian community in the Sasanian capital if it could host a visiting Roman dignitary. There was some exchange of personnel and texts between the School of Seleucia and the older

School of Nisibis The School of Nisibis (, for a time absorbed into the School of Edessa) was an educational establishment in Nisibis (now Nusaybin, Turkey). It was an important spiritual centre of the early Church of the East, and like the Academy of Gondishapur ...

. According to the ''Chronicle of Siirt'', Aba studied at Nisibis before founding the school in Seleucia. Gregory of Kashkar, who became archbishop of

Nisibis Nusaybin () is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Mardin Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,079 km2, and its population is 115,586 (2022). The city is populated by Kurds of different tribal affiliation. Nusaybin is separated ...

(c.596) after studying there, originally studied the

Psalms The Book of Psalms ( , ; ; ; ; , in Islam also called Zabur, ), also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called ('Writings'), and a book of the Old Testament. The book is an anthology of B ...

at Seleucia. The Patriarch Ishoyahb III (649–659) studied at Nisibis and tried to move part of the School of Seleucia to the Monastery of Beth Abe, probably to protect it after the

fall of the Sasanian Empire As part of the early Muslim conquests, which were initiated by Muhammad in 622, the Rashidun Caliphate conquered the Sasanian Empire between 632 and 654. This event led to the decline of Zoroastrianism, which had been the official religion of ...

to the

Arabs Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...

. In the late 7th and early 8th century,

Gabriel Arya Gabriel Arya (fl. late 7th century), also called Gabriel Qaṭraya, was a biblical exegete who wrote in Syriac. The byname ''Qaṭraya'' indicates that he was a native of Beth Qaṭraye (Qatar). ''Arya'', the Syriac for lion, is probably a nick ...

of Beth Qatraye taught at Seleucia. Among his students were the future patriarchs Hnanisho I (686–700) and

Aba II Aba II (641–751) was Patriarch of the Church of the East The patriarch of the Church of the East (also known as patriarch of the East, patriarch of Babylon, the catholicose of the East or the grand metropolitan of the East) is the patriarch ...

(742–753). Gabriel is known to have written biblical commentaries and Aba II works of philosophy. The latter had a dispute with his clergy over the running of the school.

Famous teachers and alumni

*Patriarch

, alumnus *Patriarch Acacius, possible teacher late 5th century * Cyrus of Edessa, director mid-6th century *Bokhtisho, director c. 600 *

, teacher late 7th century * Gregory of Kashkar, alumnus *Patriarch Gregory, teacher of biblical interpretation c. 605 *Patriarch Hnanisho I, alumnus *Ishai, director late 6th century *Ramisho the Interpreter, teacher late 6th century * Titus of Hdatta, alumnus

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * * {{refend Church of the East

Seleucia Seleucia (; ), also known as or or Seleucia ad Tigrim, was a major Mesopotamian city, located on the west bank of the Tigris River within the present-day Baghdad Governorate in Iraq. It was founded around 305 BC by Seleucus I Nicator as th ...

Defunct Christian schools Christianity in the Sasanian Empire Christianity in the Umayyad Caliphate