{"slug":"dsc-387","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-387","title":"Martyrdom of Jacob and His Sister Mary, a Covenanter","author":"Anonymous","genre":"hagiography","date":"5th-7th century CE","tradition":"syriac","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:59:22Z","cost_usd":0.001187},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-387","work_id":"dsc-387","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/387"},"stats":{"passages":1,"english_words":222,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":6,"commentary_kinds":4,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":2,"work_notes":4,"external_links":1,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-387","abstract":"The Martyrdom of Jacob and His Sister Mary is an anonymous Syriac hagiography recounting the execution of two Christian siblings during the Sasanian persecution under Shapur II. The narrative is set in the village of Tel Darra on the Great Zab River in northern Mesopotamia. The text survives in a single manuscript (DSC 387) with no known other witnesses, limiting reconstruction of its original form. Its style and themes suggest a late antique or early medieval origin, but no firm date can be assigned. The work appears to have had limited circulation, possibly confined to a single monastic community, and shows no evidence of liturgical use or translation into other languages.","historical_context":"The work is set during the 'seventh persecution,' likely the Sasanian persecution of Christians under Shapur II (r. 309–379 CE), a period of state-sponsored violence in the Persian Empire. The Persian official Arsalay Tamshabor (possibly a corruption of Tahm-Shapur) reflects the administrative context. The martyrdom occurs in Tel Darra, a village on the Great Zab River in Adiabene or Beth Garmai, regions with significant Christian communities. The date given is the 17th of Adar (March), with a Sunday mentioned, but the year is unspecified. The text survives in a single Syriac manuscript (DSC 387), likely from a monastic library, with no other witnesses. Its hagiographic style and lack of liturgical use suggest limited circulation, possibly within a single community. The work is anonymous and lacks internal dating, placing its composition between the 5th and 7th centuries CE based on thematic parallels with other Syriac martyrdom accounts.","significance":"This text provides a rare glimpse into Syriac Christian hagiography from the Sasanian period, preserving local traditions of martyrdom in northern Mesopotamia. Its survival in a single manuscript highlights the fragility of such works and the importance of manuscript preservation. The narrative's focus on sibling martyrs and its Persian administrative details offer insights into Christian identity under Zoroastrian rule.","timeline":[{"date":"309–379 CE","event":"Reign of Shapur II; Sasanian persecution of Christians in the Persian Empire."},{"date":"4th c. CE","event":"Probable setting of the martyrdom of Jacob and Mary in Tel Darra."},{"date":"5th–7th c. CE","event":"Composition of the Syriac hagiography, based on stylistic and thematic evidence."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Copying of the sole surviving manuscript (DSC 387), likely in a Syriac monastic scriptorium."},{"date":"Modern","event":"Edition of the text from DSC 387 without critical apparatus or collation."}],"relations":[{"work":"Martyrdom of Simeon bar Ṣabbaʿe","relation":"Similar Sasanian-era Syriac martyrdom account","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"History of the Persian Martyrs","relation":"Broader collection of Sasanian persecution narratives","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Martyrdom of Mar Qardagh","relation":"Another Syriac hagiography set in Adiabene","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"ed:dsc-387","label":"DSC 387 manuscript","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/387","reason":"Sole surviving manuscript of the work"}],"cautions":["The work is undated; the 5th–7th century range is inferred from hagiographic style and themes.","The single manuscript (DSC 387) limits reconstruction and detection of scribal interventions.","The identification of the 'seventh persecution' with Shapur II is plausible but not explicitly confirmed in the text.","The name Arsalay Tamshabor may be a corruption; its exact historical referent is uncertain."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000441,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:19:25Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-387","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":1,"translated":1,"commentary_passages":1,"commentary_units":6,"english_words":222,"source_letters":781,"commentary_kinds":4},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac text survives in a single manuscript (DSC 387), with no known other witnesses. This limits the ability to reconstruct the original form or detect scribal interventions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-387","label":"source edition: Martyrdom of Jacob and His Sister Mary, a Covenanter","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/387"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The work is anonymous and lacks internal dating. Its hagiographic style and themes suggest a late antique or early medieval origin, but no firm date can be assigned without further evidence.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"No evidence of liturgical use or translation into other languages has been identified. The work appears to have had limited circulation, possibly confined to a single monastic community.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The edition does not include a critical apparatus or collation with other manuscripts. Variant readings or corrections from other sources are therefore unavailable.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: hagiography in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 1 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":1},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-387":{"label":"source edition: Martyrdom of Jacob and His Sister Mary, a Covenanter","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/387"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܤܵܗܕܘܼܬܼܵܐ\nܕܝܥܩܘܒ\nܩܲܫܝܼܫܵܐ: ܘܲܕܼܡܲܪܝܲܡ ܚܵܬܹܗܒܲܪܬܼ ܩܝܵܡܵܐ. ܒܲܫܢܲܬܼ ܫܒܲܥ ܕܲܪܕܼܘܼܦܝܲܢ: ܐܸܬܿܬܿܚܵܕܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܝܲܥܩܘܿܒܼ ܩܲܫܝܼܫܵܐ ܕܬܸܠܵܐ ܫܠܝܼܠܵܐ ܩܪܝܼܬܼܵܐ: ܘܡܲܪܝܲܡ ܚܵܬܹܗ ܒܲܪܬܼ ܩܝܵܡܵܐ: ܒܦܘܼܩܕܵܢܵܐ ܕܢܲܪܤܲܝ ܛܲܡܫܵܒܼܘܿܪ : ܘܲܒܼܡܲܚ̈ܘܵܬܵܐ ܒܝܼ̈ܫܵܬܵܐ ܘܲܒܼܢܸ̈ܓܼܕܹܐ ܕܠܵܐ ܚܵܘܤܵܢܵܐ ܡܸܫܬܲܢܲܕܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܒܗܘܿܢ: ܟܲܕܼܨܵ ܒܹ̇ܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܕܢܵܘܟܸܿܠ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܕܡܵܐ. ܗܸܢ̣ܘܿܢ ܕܹܝܢ ܚܲܡ̣ܤܸܢܘ ܐܝܼܕܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ ܒܐܲܠܵܗܗܘܿܢ: ܘܲܒܼܠܸܒܵܐ ܕܲܟܼܝܵܐ ܘܲܬܼܪܝܼܨܵܐ ܒܹܗ ܚܵܝܪܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ: ܘܐܝܵܠܵܐܠܲܡܫܵܘܚܕܘܼܬܼܗܘܿܢ ܠܹܗ ܩܵܪܹܝܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ: ܘܚܲܝܠܵܐ ܘܥܘܼܕܼܪܵܢܵܐܡܸܢܹܗ ܫܵܐ̇ܠܝܼܢ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܘ. ܘܟܲܕܼ ܚ̣ܙܵܐ ܗ̤ܘ ܗܵܢܵܐ ܡܵܪܘܿܕܼܵܐ: ܕܲܒܼܡܸܕܸܡ ܠܵܐܡܸܬܼܪܲܦܹܝܢ ܡ̣ܢ ܫܪܵܪܗܘܿܢ: ܦ̣ܩܲܕܼ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܠܓܲܒܼܪܵܐ ܚܲܕܼ ܒܲܪ ܚܹܐܪܹ̈ܐ ܒܲܪ ܥܵܠܡܵܐ: ܕܲܫܡܹܗ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܡܲܗܕܵܕ: ܕܡܸܬܼܩܪܸܐ ܗ̄ܘ̣ܵܐ ܒܲܫܡܵܐ ܟܪܸܤܛܝܵܢܵܐ ܘܠܵܐ ܒܲܥܒܼܵܕܹ̈ܐ: ܕܢܸܦܘܿܩ ܢܸܫܩܘܿܠ ܐܸܢܘܿܢ ܪܹ̈ܫܲܝܗܘܿܢ. ܘܗ̤ܘ ܗܵܢܵܐ: ܡܸܛܠ ܕܢܸܫܬܿܦܲܪ ܠܹܗ: ܣܵܡܼ ܡܵܘܬܹܗ ܒܚܲܝܵܘ̈ܗܝ: ܘܲܦܤܲܩ̣ ܤܲܒܼܪܹܗ ܡܸܛܠ ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ. ܘܲܢܦܲܩ̣ ܦܤܲܩ̣ ܪܹ̈ܫܹܐ ܕܲܬܼܪ̈ܲܝܗܘܿܢ ܒܤܲܝܦܵܐ: ܒܬܸܠ ܕܲܪܵܐ ܩܪܝܼܬܼܵܐ ܕܥܲܠ ܙܵܒܼܵܐ ܪܲܒܵܐ:\nܐܸܬܼܟܲܠܲܠ̣ܘ ܕܹܝܢ ܩܲܕܝܼ̈ܫܹܐ ܒܲܫܒܲܥܸܤܪܵܐ ܒܝܼܪܲܚ ܐܵܕܼܵܪ ܒܲܕܼܤܲܗܪܵܐ.","english":"The Martyrdom of Jacob the Priest and of Mary His Sister, a Daughter of the Covenant. In the time of the seventh persecution, Jacob the Priest of the village of Tel Shalila and Mary his sister, a Daughter of the Covenant, were seized by the command of Arsalay Tamshabor. And with evil blows and merciless tortures they were tormented by him, while he sought to make them deny their faith. But they strengthened their hands in their God, and with a pure and upright heart they trusted in him, and they called upon him for the consolation of their covenant, and they asked from him strength and help. And when this rebel saw that they would not be turned from their truth by anything, he commanded a certain freeborn man of the world, whose name was Mahdad, who was called by a Christian name but not by Christian deeds, to go and take off their heads. And this man, because he was bribed, placed his death before his life, and cut off his hope for the sake of gain. And he went and cut off the heads of both of them with a sword, in the village of Tel Darra, which is on the Great Zab. The saints were then crowned on the seventeenth of the month of Adar, on a Sunday.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ܒܲܪܬܼ ܩܝܵܡܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Literally 'daughter of the covenant,' a technical term for a female member of the Syriac covenant (qyāmā), an ascetic order within the early Syriac church. The title indicates Mary's formal consecration.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܫܒܲܥ ܕܲܪܕܼܘܼܦܝܲܢ","severity":"info","text":"The 'seventh persecution' likely refers to the Sasanian persecution of Christians under Shapur II (r. 309–379 CE), a period of intense state-sponsored violence against the church in the Persian Empire.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܛܲܡܫܵܒܼܘܿܪ","severity":"info","text":"Arsalay Tamshabor is a Persian official name; the element 'Tamshabor' may be a corruption of Tahm-Shapur, a known Sasanian governor. The name reflects the Persian administrative context of the persecution.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܲܫܒܲܥܸܤܪܵܐ ܒܝܼܪܲܚ ܐܵܕܼܵܪ","severity":"info","text":"The date given is the 17th of Adar, the Syriac month corresponding to March. The mention of a Sunday (ܒܲܕܼܤܲܗܪܵܐ) allows correlation with the Julian calendar, though the year is not specified.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܲܗܕܵܕ","severity":"caution","text":"The name Mahdad (ܡܲܗܕܵܕ) is ambiguous: it could be a Persian name (Mihrdād) or a Syriac Christian name (perhaps a variant of 'Matthew'). The text explicitly notes he bore a Christian name but acted unchristianly.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ܬܸܠ ܕܲܪܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"Tel Darra (ܬܸܠ ܕܲܪܵܐ) is a village located on the Great Zab River (ܙܵܒܼܵܐ ܪܲܒܵܐ), a tributary of the Tigris in northern Mesopotamia. This places the martyrdom in the region of Adiabene or Beth Garmai.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The precise year of the 'seventh persecution' is not given; it is conventionally associated with Shapur II but could refer to a later Sasanian campaign.","The name Mahdad may be a corruption or variant; the text's comment on his Christian name suggests a deliberate contrast between nominal and actual faith."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}