{"slug":"dsc-513","id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-513","title":"Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","author":"Simeon of Beth Arsham","genre":"letter","date":"Early 6th century CE","tradition":"syriac","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T04:53:44Z","cost_usd":0.005822},"source":{"registry_id":"syriac:dsc:dsc-513","work_id":"dsc-513","edition":"syriac","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"},"stats":{"passages":8,"english_words":2399,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":45,"commentary_kinds":9,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":15,"work_notes":5,"external_links":4,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"dsc-513","abstract":"The Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma is a Syriac epistle attributed to Simeon of Beth Arsham, a Syriac Orthodox author active in the late 5th to early 6th century. The letter addresses Barsawma, a figure associated with Nestorian controversies in the Persian church, and employs a polemical tone to critique Nestorian teachings. Simeon draws parallels between the origin of Christian faith with Abraham and the origin of Nestorian error with Jewish leaders, using covenant theology to frame his argument. The text survives in a single manuscript witness with obscure transmission history, and its attribution is traditional but not independently confirmed.","historical_context":"The letter is attributed to Simeon of Beth Arsham, a Syriac Orthodox author whose floruit is placed in the late 5th to early 6th century, likely in the region of Beth Arsham in the Sasanian Empire. The work concerns Barsawma, a prominent East Syriac figure associated with Nestorian Christology, which was a major theological controversy in the Persian church following the Council of Ephesus (431 CE). The letter reflects ongoing polemics between Syriac Orthodox and East Syriac communities, with Simeon using covenant theology to link Nestorian error to Jewish origins. The Syriac text survives in a single manuscript witness, with no known early translations, and its transmission history is obscure. The letter is cited in later Syriac Orthodox historical works but does not appear in liturgical or canonical collections, suggesting limited circulation. The attribution to Simeon is traditional but not independently confirmed, and the polemical tone may reflect later editorial shaping.","significance":"The letter is significant as a rare witness to Syriac Orthodox polemics against Nestorianism in the early 6th century, using covenant theology to frame theological error. It provides insight into the reception of Barsawma and the ongoing Christological debates in the Persian church. The work also illustrates the use of Jewish figures as rhetorical foils in Christian heresiology, linking Nestorianism to a chain of heretical transmission from Judaism through Simon Magus.","timeline":[{"date":"Late 5th–early 6th c.","event":"Simeon of Beth Arsham active; letter likely composed."},{"date":"431 CE","event":"Council of Ephesus condemns Nestorianism; context for Barsawma's controversies."},{"date":"5th–6th c.","event":"Barsawma active in East Syriac church; associated with Nestorian Christology."},{"date":"6th–7th c.","event":"Letter cited in later Syriac Orthodox historical works."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Single manuscript witness produced; transmission history obscure."}],"relations":[{"work":"Barsawma's own writings or acts","relation":"Subject of the letter; Simeon responds to his teachings or actions.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Syriac Orthodox historical works","relation":"Letter cited in later works, indicating reception.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Genesis 12:3 (LXX)","relation":"Biblical allusion used in covenant theology.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Simon Magus traditions","relation":"Linked to Nestorian error in the letter's polemic.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Simeon of Beth Arsham","label":"Simeon of Beth Arsham","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_of_Beth_Arsham","reason":"Provides context on the attributed author."},{"key":"wikipedia:Barsawma","label":"Barsawma","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barsauma","reason":"Subject of the letter; figure in East Syriac tradition."},{"key":"wikipedia:Nestorianism","label":"Nestorianism","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorianism","reason":"Theological controversy addressed in the letter."},{"key":"wikipedia:Council of Ephesus","label":"Council of Ephesus","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Ephesus","reason":"Historical context for Nestorian controversies."}],"cautions":["Attribution to Simeon of Beth Arsham is traditional but not independently confirmed.","Date is approximate based on Simeon's floruit; no explicit date in the text.","Survives in a single manuscript witness with obscure transmission history.","Polemical tone may reflect later editorial shaping."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000443,"generated":"2026-11-15T01:15:31Z"},"checks":{"work":"dsc-513","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":8,"translated":8,"commentary_passages":8,"commentary_units":45,"english_words":2399,"source_letters":6786,"commentary_kinds":9},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The letter is attributed to Simeon of Beth Arsham, a Syriac Orthodox author active in the late 5th to early 6th century. It concerns Barsawma, a prominent figure in the East Syriac tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The letter likely dates to the late 5th or early 6th century, based on Simeon’s known floruit. No explicit date is given in the text.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac text survives in a single manuscript witness, with no known early translations. Its transmission history is obscure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The letter is cited in later Syriac Orthodox historical works, but it does not appear in liturgical or canonical collections.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The attribution to Simeon of Beth Arsham is traditional but not independently confirmed. The letter’s polemical tone may reflect later editorial shaping.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily 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: letter in classical Syriac; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 8 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: syriac — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":8},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:dsc-513":{"label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ܬܘܒ ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܛܘܒܢܐ܆\nܡܪܝ ܫܡܥܘܢ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ܆\nܕܒܝܬ ܪܫܡ ܕܟܬܒ ܡܛܠ\nܒܪܨܘܡܐ܆ ܘܗܪ̈ܣܝܣ\nܕܢܣܛܘܪ̈ܝܢܐ ܕܡܚܘܐ ܕܡܢ\nܐܝܡܟܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܗ̇ ܫܘܪܝܐ܆\nܘܒܐܝܢܐ ܙܒܢܐ ܢܚܬ ܠܐܪܥܐ\nܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ. ܐܟܙܢܐ ܓܝܪ\nܕܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܫܪܝܪܬܐ ܕܝܠܢ\nܕܟܪ̈ܣܛܝܢܐ܆ ܡܢ ܐܒܪܗܡ ܪܝܫ\nܐܒܗܵܬܐ ܫܩܠܬ ܫܘܪܝܐ܆\nܒܝܕ ܫܘܘܕܝܐ ܕܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܐܠܗܐ܆\nܕܒܙܪܥܟ ܠܡ ܢܬܒܪܟܘܢ\nܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܡܫܝܚܐ\nܐܟ ܕܟܬܝܒ܆ ܘܒܝܕ ܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ\nܫܪܝܪܬܐ ܕܐܝܪܗܡ ܐܬܩܪܝ\nܐܒܐ ܠܟܠܗܘܢ ܥܡܡܵܐ\nܕܐܝܬܝܢ ܐܦ ܚܢܢ ܡܢܗܘܢ܆\nܗܟܢܐ ܐܦ ܛܥܝܘܬܗܘܢ\nܕܢܣܛܘܪ̈ܝܢܐ܆ ܡܢ ܚܢܢ ܘܩܝܦܐ\nܪ̈ܒܝ ܟܗܵܢܐ ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ\nܕܝܗܵܘܕܝܐ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܙܒܢܐ ܗܘܐ\nܠܗ̇ ܫܘܪܝܐ. ܗܢܘܢ ܓܝܪ\nܝܗܵܘܕܝܐ ܚܫܒܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗ\nܠܡܫܝܚܐ ܒܪܢܫܐ. ܐܟ ܗ̇ܝ\nܕܐܡܪܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗ ܕܡܓܕܦ\nܐܢܬ܆ ܘܟܕ ܐܝܬܝܟ ܒܪܢܫܐ\nܥܒܕ ܐܢܬ ܢܦܫܟ ܐܠܗܐ܆\nܘܗܝ ܗܕܐ ܡܬܝܒܠܐ ܗܘܬ\nܡܢ ܝܗܵܘܕܝܐ ܒܗ̇ܘ ܙܒܢܐ.. ܘܡܢܗܘܢ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܘܡܢܗܘܢ\nܙܕܝܩܐ ܘܢܒܝܐ. ܘܡܠܦܢܐ. ܛܒܐ\nܘܡܠܟܗ ܕܝܣܪܝܠ ܩܪܝܢ ܗܘܘ\nܠܗ. ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܒܥܠܙܒܒܘܒ\nܘܪܝܫܐ ܕܕܝܘܵܐ ܘܫܡܪܝܐ ܘܡܓܕܦܢܐ܆\nܘܥܒܪ ܥܠ ܢܡܘܣܐ ܩܪܝܢ\nܗܘܘ ܠܗ. ܘܦܠܓܘܬܐ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܬ\nܒܝܬ ܝܗܵܘܕܝܐ ܡܛܠܬܗ. ܘܬܪ̈ܝܗܘܢ\nܓܒܵܐ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܚܫܒܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗ. ܘܗܝ ܗܕܐ ܬܪܥܝܬܐ ܡܬܝܒܠܐ\nܒܝܬ ܢܣܛܘܪ̈ܝܢܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܝܘܡܢܐ. ܡܢܗܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܝܗܵܘܕܝܐ ܩܒܠ\nܗܘܐ ܣܝܡܘܢ ܚܪܫܐ. ܗ̇ܘ\nܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘܐ ܓܢܣܗ\nܫܡܪܝܐ ܐܚܝܢܗܘܢ ܕܝܗ̈ܘܕܝܐ\nܒܡܕܡ ܡܕܡ ܘܗܘ ܩܡ ܗܘܐ\nܠܘܩܒܠ ܫܠܝܵܚܐ ܒܪܘܗܡܐ\nܡܕܝܢܬܐ. ܟܕ ܡܘܪܒ ܢܦܫܗ\nܘܐܡܪ ܕܐܢܐ ܐܢܐ ܪܒܐ ܘܚܫܒ\nܗܘܐ ܢܦܫܗ ܡܫܝܚܐ.","english":"Again, the Letter of the Blessed Mar Simeon, Bishop of Beth Arsham, which he wrote concerning Barsawma and the heresies of the Nestorians, showing how and in what time it had its beginning, and at what time it descended into the land of the Persians. For just as the true faith of the Christians took its beginning with Abraham, the chief of the patriarchs, through the covenant that was made with God, that in your seed all the nations would be blessed, which is the Messiah, as it is written, and through the true faith, Abraham was called father of all the nations that exist, even of us also, so also the error of the Nestorians took its beginning with us and Caiaphas, the chief of the priests, together with the rest of the Jews of that time. For the Jews considered the Messiah to be a mere man. As they used to say of him that he blasphemed, and, \"Since you are a man, you have made yourself God.\" And this was being bandied about among the Jews at that time. And among them he was a mere man, and among them a righteous man and a prophet, and a good teacher, and they called him the king of Israel. Others, however, called him Beelzebub and chief of demons and Samaritan and blasphemer, and they called him a transgressor of the law. And there was division among the Jews concerning him. And both parties considered him a mere man. And this opinion is still bandied about among the Nestorians to this day. Among them, however, it was from the Jews that Simon Magus received his sorcery. He who was of the Samaritan race, the brothers of the Jews in some respects, and he stood up against the apostles in the city of Rome, when he exalted himself and said, \"I am the great power,\" and considered himself the Messiah.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܘܒ ܐܓܪܬܐ ܕܛܘܒܢܐ܆ ܡܪܝ ܫܡܥܘܢ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ܆ ܕܒܝܬ ܪܫܡ ܕܟܬܒ ܡܛܠ ܒܪܨܘܡܐ","severity":"info","text":"The opening rubric identifies the work as a letter by Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma, framing the narrative as an epistle with a historical-theological argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܪܨܘܡܐ","severity":"info","text":"Barsawma is a figure associated with Nestorian controversies in the Persian church; Simeon’s letter likely responds to his teachings or actions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܟܙܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܕܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܫܪܝܪܬܐ ܕܝܠܢ ܕܟܪ̈ܣܛܝܢܐ܆ ܡܢ ܐܒܪܗܡ ܪܝܫ ܐܒܗܵܬܐ ܫܩܠܬ ܫܘܪܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"Simeon draws a parallel between the origin of Christian faith with Abraham and the origin of Nestorian error with the Jewish leaders Caiaphas and the Jews, using covenant theology as a structural model.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܒܙܪܥܟ ܠܡ ܢܬܒܪܟܘܢ ܥܡܡܵܐ ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܡܫܝܚܐ","severity":"info","text":"This echoes the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12:3 (LXX: 'in your seed all nations shall be blessed'), applied here to Christ as the seed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܗܝ ܗܕܐ ܬܪܥܝܬܐ ܡܬܝܒܠܐ ܒܝܬ ܢܣܛܘܪ̈ܝܢܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܝܘܡܢܐ","severity":"info","text":"Simeon claims that the Jewish view of Christ as a mere man persists among Nestorians to his own day, framing the letter as a contemporary polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܢܗܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܝܗܵܘܕܝܐ ܩܒܠ ܗܘܐ ܣܝܡܘܢ ܚܪܫܐ","severity":"info","text":"Simeon links Simon Magus to Jewish sorcery and Samaritan origins, connecting Nestorian error to a chain of heretical transmission from Judaism through Simon.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text has minor orthographic variations (e.g., ܢ for ܣ) that do not affect the sense; the reading follows the edition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ܐܟ\nܕܡܩܒܠ ܗܘܐ ܠܗ ܡܢ ܚܢܢ\nܘܩܝܦܐ ܚܒܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܘܪ̈ܒܢܘܗܝ\nܡܢܗ ܕܝܢ ܕܣܝܡܘܢ ܩܒܠ\nܐܒܝܘܢ ܘܡܢ ܐܒܝܘܢ ܩܒܠ\nܐܪܛܝܡܘܢ ܘܡܢܗ ܦܘܠܐ\nܫܡܫܛܝܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܕܒܙܒܢ ܗܘܐ\nܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܟܝܐ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ\nܕܣܘܪܝܐ ܒܝܘܵܡܬܐ ܕܡܠܟܵܐ\nܚܢܦܵܐ ܕܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ. ܟܕ ܥܕܟܝܠ\nܠܐ ܐܡܠܟ ܩܘܣܛܢܛܝܢܘܣ\nܡܠܟܐ ܕܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ ܡܗܝܡܢܐ\nܫܪܝܪܐ. ܡܛܠ ܕܠܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܕܚܠܐ\nܡܢ ܡܠܟܵܐ ܕܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ. ܘܗܘ\nܗܢܐ ܦܘܠܐ ܫܡܫܛܝܐ ܐܡܪܚ\nܘܓܕܦ ܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܣܝܡܘܢ\nܚܪܫܐ ܘܐܒܝܘܢ ܘܐܪܛܝܡܘܢ\nܪ̈ܒܢܘܗܝ. ܘܐܡܪ ܠܡ ܥܠ\nܛܘܒܢܝܬܐ ܡܪܝܡ ܕܒܪܢܫܐ\nܝܠܕܬ ܫܚܝܡܐ ܡܪܝܡ. ܘܠܐ\nܩܘܝܬ ܒܒܬܘܠܘܬܗ̇ ܡܢ ܒܬܪ\nܕܝܠܕܬ. ܘܩܪܐ ܠܡܫܝܚܐ ܒܪܝܐ\nܘܥܒܝܕܐ ܘܡܝܘܬܐ. ܘܒܪܐ\nܕܛܝܒܘܬܐ. ܘܐܡܪ ܥܠ ܢܦܫܗ\nܕܐܦ ܐܢܐ ܠܡ ܐܢ ܨܒܐ ܐܢܐ\nܗܘܐ ܐܢܐ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܡܛܠ\nܕܐܢܐ ܘܡܫܝܚܐ ܚܕ ܟܝܢܐ\nܐܝܬܝ. ܘܡܢܗ ܕܝܢ ܕܦܘܠܐ\nܫܡܫܛܝܐ ܐܬܚܘܝܬ ܗܪ̈ܣܝܣ\nܕܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܟܝܢܵܐ ܘܝܚܝܕܘܵܬܗܘܢ\nܘܡܥܒܕܢܘܵܬܗܘܢ ܘܡܢܗ\nܕܦܘܠܐ ܩܒܠ ܕܝܕܘܪܘܣ\nܕܛܪܣܘܣ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܩܝܠܩܝܐ. ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܡܢ ܛܠܝܘܬܗ. ܡܢ ܗܪ̈ܣܝܣ ܕܡܩܕܘܢ ܗ̇ܘ\nܕܡܓܕܦ ܥܠ ܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ. ܘܟܕ ܐܬܬܠܡܕܘ ܕܝܕܘܪܘܣ\nܠܟܪ̈ܣܛܝܢܐ ܘܗܘܐ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ\nܕܛܪܣܘܣ ܕܩܝܠܩܝܐ܆ ܐܘܪܒ\nܠܗܪܣܝܣ ܕܡܩܕܘܢܝܘܣ ܘܦܪܫ\nܐܦ ܗܘ ܟܝܵܢܐ ܘܝܚܝܕܘ̈ܬܗܘܢ\nܘܡܥܒܕܢܘܵܬܗܘܢ ܒܡܫܝܚܐ\nܘܚܫܒܗ ܠܡܫܝܚܐ ܒܪܢܫܐ\nܒܪܝܐ ܘܥܒܝܕܐ ܘܡܝܘܬܐ ܒܪ\nܟܝܢܢ ܘܒܪܐ ܕܛܝܒܘܬܐ. ܘܒܟܠܡܕܡ ܪܕܐ ܒܬܪ ܦܘܠܐ\nܫܡܫܛܝܐ ܪܒܗ. ܡܢܗ ܕܝܢ\nܕܕܝܕܘܪܘܣ ܩܒܠ ܬܐܕܘܪܘܣ\nܕܡܦܗܣܘܣܛܝܐ ܕܩܝܠܩܝܐ. ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܗܢܐ ܦܫܩ ܟܬܵܒܐ\nܟܠܗܘܢ ܕܥܬܝܩܬܐ ܘܕܚܕܬܐ. ܘܟܠܗܘܢ ܦܘܫܩܘܗܵܝ\nܘܡܐܡܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܬܪܥܝܬܐ\nܝܗܘܕܝܬܐ ܡܚܘܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܗ\nܥܠ ܡܫܝܚܐ.","english":"from those who received him from Simon the Magician and from his companions and teachers. From him, that is, from Simon, received Menander; and from Menander received Satornil; and from him, Paul the Samosatene, that same one who was bishop of Antioch, the city of Syria, in the days of the king of the Romans, before the faithful king Constantine had yet reigned, because there was no fear from the king of the Romans. And this Paul the Samosatene was more insolent and blasphemous than Simon the Magician and Menander and Satornil, his teachers. And he said concerning the blessed Mary, that she gave birth to a common man, Mary, and that she did not remain in her virginity after she gave birth. And he called the Messiah a creature, and made, and mortal, and a son of grace. And he said concerning himself, that even he, if he wished, could become the Messiah, because he and the Messiah are of one nature. And from him, that is, from Paul the Samosatene, the heresy of two natures and their hypostases and their energies was shown. And from Paul received Diodore of Tarsus, the city of Cilicia, who was from his youth from the heresy of Macedonius, that one who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit. And when Diodore had taught the Christians and become bishop of Tarsus of Cilicia, he added to the heresy of Macedonius and also divided the natures and their hypostases and their energies in the Messiah, and considered the Messiah to be a mere man, created, made, and mortal, of nature, and a son of grace. And in everything he followed Paul the Samosatene, his teacher. From him, that is, from Diodore, received Theodore of Mopsuestia of Cilicia. This one interpreted all the books of the Old and New Testaments, and all their interpretations and his discourses show a Jewish understanding that he had concerning the Messiah.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Paul the Samosatene","severity":"info","text":"Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch in the 260s, was condemned for adoptionist Christology. Simeon places him before Constantine, correctly noting the lack of imperial enforcement.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܟܝܢܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'two natures' (ܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܟܝܢܵܐ) is a key Christological term. Simeon traces this heresy to Paul of Samosata, linking it to later dyophysite positions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"Diodore of Tarsus","severity":"info","text":"Simeon presents Diodore (d. ca. 390) as a student of Paul of Samosata (fl. 260s), an anachronistic succession. This reflects a polemical genealogy rather than historical sequence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Theodore of Mopsuestia","severity":"info","text":"Theodore (d. 428) is here accused of a 'Jewish understanding' of Christ, a common anti-Nestorian trope. Simeon's genealogy aims to discredit Theodore by linking him to earlier heretics.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"succession list","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms a chain of transmission: Simon Magus → Menander → Satornil → Paul of Samosata → Diodore → Theodore. The list is a rhetorical device to show a continuous heretical lineage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Syriac text has minor orthographic variations (e.g., ܚܢܢ for ܚܪܫܐ) but the sense is clear. The genealogy is polemical, not historical."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ܐܟ ܕܝܕܘܪܘܣ\nܘܦܘܠܐ ܫܡܫܛܝܐ ܪ̈ܒܢܘܗܝ\nܘܠܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܢ ܣܝܡܘܢ ܚܪܫܐ\nܘܡܢ ܦܘܠܐ ܘܡܢ ܕܝܕܘܪܘܣ\nܠܗܠܝܢ ܐܘܪܒ ܘܫܪܪ. ܘܒܪܢܫܐ\nܒܪܝܐ ܘܥܒܝܕܐ ܘܡܝܘܬܐ\nܒܪ ܟܝܢܢ ܘܒܪܐ ܕܛܝܒܘܬܐ\nܘܗܝܟܠܐ ܕܒܪܐ ܡܬܘܡܝܐ. ܚܫܒܗ ܠܡܫܝܚܐ. ܘܕܠܘ ܠܡ\nܒܪܐ ܗܘ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܒܟܝܢܐ\nܐܠܐ ܒܛܝܒܘܬܐ. ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ\nܕܓܘܕܦܘܗܵܝ ܕܡܠܝܢ ܡܐܡܪ̈ܘܗܝ\nܘܦܘܫܩܘܗܵܝ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܡܢܗ\nܕܝܢ ܕܬܐܕܘܪܘܣ ܩܒܠ\nܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ. ܗܢܐ ܕܐܬܬܣܝܡ\nܗܘܐ ܩܫܝܫܐ ܒܥܕܬܐ\nܕܐܢܛܝܟܝܐ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ\nܘܡܢ ܒܬܪܟܢ ܗܘܐ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ\nܕܩܘܣܛܢܛܝܢܦܘܠܝܣ. ܘܐܝܬ\nܘܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܓܪܡܢܝܩܐ\nܡܕܝܢܬܐ. ܘܐܬܦܪܣ ܕܢܚܛܘܦ\nܠܢܦܫܗ ܪܝܫܢܘܬܐ ܕܗܪܣܝܣ\nܪܫܝܥܬܐ ܕܪ̈ܒܢܘܗܝ ܗܠܝܢ\nܕܟܬܝܒܝܢ ܡܢ ܠܥܠ. ܘܢܗܘܘܢ\nܡܬܩܪܝܢ ܒܫܡܗ ܟܠܗܘܢ\nܒܢܵܝ ܗܪܣܝܣ ܕܝܠܗ. ܐܟ\nܡܪܩܝܘܢ ܕܐܬܩܪܝܘ ܒܫܡܗ\nܡܪ̈ܩܝܘܢܣܛܐ. ܘܐܟ ܐܘܛܟܐ\nܕܐܬܩܪܝܘ ܒܫܡܗ ܐܘܛܟܝܢܵܣܛܐ\nܡܛܠ ܗܕܐ ܗܘ ܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ\nܒܥܠܕܒܒܐ ܕܟܐܢܘܬܐ. ܓܠܝܐܝܬ\nܓܕܦ ܒܥܕܬܐ ܕܩܘܣܛܢܛܝܢܦܘܠܝܣ\nܘܗܠܝܢ ܕܣܝܡܘܢ ܚܪܫܐ ܘܡܢ\nܐܒܝܘܢ ܘܐܪܛܝܡܘܢ ܘܦܘܠܐ\nܫܡܫܛܝܐ ܘܕܝܕܘܪܘܣ. ܘܬܐܕܪܣ\nܪ̈ܒܢܘܗܝ ܕܝܠܗ ܕܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ\nܡܛܫܝܐܝܬ ܡܬܝܒܵܠܢ ܗܘܵܝ\nܒܝܢܬܗܘܢ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܗ̇ܘ ܙܒܢܐ\nܘܗܘ ܒܫܘܒܗܪܗ ܚܛܦ ܠܗ\nܪܝܫܢܘܬܐ ܕܗܪܣܝܣ. ܘܥܠ\nܩܡ ܒܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܡ ܟܠܗ ܥܡܐ\nܘܓܠܝܐܝܬ ܡܓܕܦ ܗܘܐ ܟܕ ܐܡܪ\nܕܠܐ ܬܫܬܒܗܪܝܢ ܡܪܝܡ ܡܛܠ\nܕܠܘ ܐܠܗܐ ܝܠܕܬܝ. ܐܠܐ ܒܪܢܫܐ\nܒܪܝܐ ܘܥܒܝܕܐ ܘܡܝܘܬܐ ܘܒܪ\nܟܝܢܢ ܘܒܛܝܒܘܬܐ ܗܘ ܒܠܚܘܕ\nܐܫܬܘܝ ܕܢܬܩܪܐ ܒܪܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ܆\nܘܡܛܠ ܢܩܝܦܘܬܗ ܕܠܘܬ ܡܝܘܵܬܐ\nܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ. ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ ܕܓܘܵܕܦܐ ܣܓܝܵܐܐ\nܕܡܛܠܬܗܘܢ ܐܬܬܚܪܡ ܒܐܦܣܘܣ\nܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܡܢ ܐܒܗܵܬܐ ܩܕܝܵܫܐ\nܡܢ ܚܘܠܛܢܐ ܕܟܠܗ̇ ܥܕܬܐ\nܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ.","english":"as Diodorus and Paul the Samosatene, his teachers, and from those who received from Simon the Magician, and from Paul and from Diodorus, to those who received and confirmed. And in the beginning, created and made and mortal, a son of nature and a son of grace, and a temple of a created being, he considered the Messiah, and that he is not a son of God by nature but by grace. Along with the rest of his blasphemies, which fill his discourses and all his interpretations from him, that is, from Theodore, Nestorius received. Now this Nestorius, who had been appointed a presbyter in the church of the great city of Antioch, and afterwards became bishop of Constantinople, and he was from the city of Germanicia. And he strove to seize for himself the leadership of the wicked heresy of his teachers, those who are written above. And all those who were of his heresy were called by his name, like the Marcionites who were called by the name of Marcion, and like the Eutychians who were called by the name of Eutyches. For this reason, Nestorius, the enemy of truth, openly blasphemed in the church of Constantinople, and those from Simon the Magician and from Ebion and Artemon and Paul the Samosatene and Diodorus. And the teachings of Nestorius himself were secretly transmitted in their houses until that time, and he in his pride seized the leadership of the heresy. And he stood up in the church before all the people and openly blasphemed, saying: \"Do not boast, Mary, for you did not give birth to God, but to a beginning, a created being, made and mortal, and a son of nature and by grace alone, he who was called son of God.\" And because of his hardness towards mortals, Jesus is the son of God. Along with the rest of the many blasphemies on account of which he was anathematized in the city of Ephesus by the holy fathers, with the agreement of the whole holy church of God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܪܢܫܐ ܒܪܝܐ ܘܥܒܝܕܐ ܘܡܝܘܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'a beginning, a created being, made and mortal' is a polemical summary of Nestorius’s alleged Christology, denying Christ’s eternal divinity and asserting his created, mortal nature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ","severity":"info","text":"Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople (428–431), was condemned at the Council of Ephesus (431) for his Christological views, particularly his rejection of the title Theotokos for Mary.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܟ ܡܪܩܝܘܢ ܕܐܬܩܪܝܘ ܒܫܡܗ ܡܪ̈ܩܝܘܢܣܛܐ","severity":"info","text":"The author draws a parallel between the naming of heretical groups after their founders (Marcionites, Eutychians) and the naming of Nestorius’s followers after him, a common heresiological trope.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܬܬܚܪܡ ܒܐܦܣܘܣ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The anathema of Nestorius at Ephesus in 431 CE is referenced as the definitive ecclesiastical condemnation, situating the letter’s polemic within post-Ephesian anti-Nestorian tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܡܛܠ ܢܩܝܦܘܬܗ ܕܠܘܬ ܡܝܘܵܬܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The Syriac syntax here is ambiguous: 'because of his hardness towards mortals, Jesus is the son of God' may be a garbled or ironic summary of Nestorius’s position, possibly corrupt in transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ܘܡܛܠ ܢܩܝܦܘܬܗ ܕܠܘܬ ܡܝܘܵܬܐ' is syntactically unclear; it may reflect a misreading or a compressed polemical formula.","The list of heretical teachers (Simon, Ebion, Artemon, Paul, Diodorus) is conventional but the precise chain of transmission is not historically verifiable."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ܗܘ ܘܪ̈ܒܢܘܗܝ\nܕܟܬܝܒܝܢ ܡܢ ܠܥܠ ܘܠܗܝܡܢܘܬܗܘܢ\nܘܠܟܠ ܕܫܠܡ ܠܗ ܐܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܡܢ\nܗ̇ܘ ܙܒܢܐ ܘܠܟܐ. ܐܬܩܪܝ ܫܡܐ\nܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܢܣܛܘܪ̈ܝܘܣܐ. ܡܢܗ ܕܝܢ\nܕܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ ܩܒܠ ܬܐܕܘܪܝܛܐ\nܕܩܝܘܪܘܣ. ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܬܐܕܘܪܝܛܐ\nܒܛܢܢܗ ܕܚܠܦ ܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ ܥܒܕ\nܣܝܡܐ ܪܫܝܥܐ ܠܘܩܒܠ ܐܒܗܵܬܐ\nܩܕܝܵܫܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܒܐܦܣܘܣ ܐܚܪܡܘ\nܗܘܘ ܠܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ ܪܒܗ. ܘܡܢܗ\nܕܝܢ ܕܬܐܕܘܪܝܛܐ ܩܒܠ ܝܗܝܒܐ\nܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܝܗܝܒܐ ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ\nܕܟܠܗܘܢ ܓܘܕܦ̈ܘܗܝ ܕܫܠܡܝܢ\nܠܟܠܡܕܡ ܠܪ̈ܒܢܘܗܝ ܗܠܝܢ\nܕܟܬܝܒܝܢ ܡܢ ܠܥܠ ܐܘܣܦ\nܗܘ ܘܓܕܦ ܒܚܕ ܡܢ ܡܐܡܪ̈ܘܗܝ\nܘܐܡܪ ܗܟܢܐ. ܕܐܢܐ ܠܡ ܝܗܝܒܐ\nܠܐ ܚܣܡ ܐܢܐ ܒܡܫܝܚܐ ܕܗܘܐ\nܐܠܗܐ. ܕܗܘ ܐܬܩܪܝ ܗܘܐ ܐܠܗܐ\nܡܛܠ ܕܒܪܢܫܐ ܗܘ ܐܟܘܬܝ\nܘܒܪ ܟܝܢܝ. ܡܛܠ ܗܕܐ ܐܬܬܚܪܡ\nܝܗܝܒܐ ܘܬܐܕܘܪܝܛܐ ܕܩܝܪܘܣ\nܥܡ ܚܒܪ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܘܟܠ ܕܫܠܡ\nܠܗܘܢ. ܡܢܗ ܕܝܢ ܕܝܗܝܒܐ ܩܒܠ\nܐܢܫ ܕܫܡܗ ܗܘܐ ܡܪܝ ܡܢ\nܒܝܬ ܗܪܕܫܝܪ ܡܢ ܬܡܢ ܫܪܝܬ\nܕܬܬܚܒܠ ܐܪܥܐ ܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ\nܒܢܣܛܘܪܝܢܘܬܐ܆ ܒܝܕ ܐܓܪ̈ܬܐ\nܕܝܗܝܒܐ ܘܦܘܫܩܵܐ ܕܡܐܡܪܵ\nܘܬܘܪ̈ܓܡܐ ܕܪ̈ܒܢܘܗܝ. ܘܡܢ ܒܬܪ\nܡܪܝ ܩܒܠ ܡܢܗ ܕܝܗܝܒܐ ܐܢܫ\nܩܫܝܫܐ ܡܢ ܐܘܪܗܝ ܕܫܡܗ\nܗܘܐ ܡܪܘܢ ܐܠܝܬܐ. ܗܘ ܗܘܐ\nܣܦܪܐ ܕܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ\nܕܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܒܐܘܪܗܝ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ\nܒܗ̇ܘ ܙܒܢܐ.. ܘܗܘܝܢ ܗܘܘ\nܒܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܕܐܘܪܗܝ ܒܙܒܢܐ\nܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܡܢܗܘܢ\nܗܠܝܢ. ܐܩܩ ܐܪܡܝܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ\nܒܗ̇ ܒܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܚܢܩ ܠܘܵܡܐ. ܘܒܪܨܘܡܐ ܥܒܕܐ ܕܡܪܐ\nܩܕܪܘܝܐ. ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܗܘܐ ܣܝܢܐ\nܒܝܬ ܩܢܵܐ. ܘܡܥܢܐ ܕܒܝܬ\nܗܕܪܬܫܝܪ. ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܗܘܐ ܫܬܐ\nܩܛܡܐ. ܘܥܒܫܘܛܐ ܕܢܝܢܘܐ\nܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܫܡܐ ܕܠܐ\nܙܕܩ ܕܢܟܬܒܝܘܗܝ. ܘܝܘܚܢܢ\nܓܪܡܩܝܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܗܘܐ\nܚܘܝܨܐ. ܘܡܝܟܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ\nܪܓܘܢ ܘܦܘܠܐ ܒܪ ܩܩܝ ܡܢ\nܟܪܟܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܗܘܵܙܝܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ\nܥܒܕ ܠܘܒܝܵܣ.","english":"he and his companions, who are written above, and to their faith, and to everyone who submitted to him or to them from that time. Their name was called Nestorians. From him, that is, from Nestorius, Theodoret of Cyrus received. That Theodoret, by his error on behalf of Nestorius, made a wicked synod against the holy fathers who at Ephesus had excommunicated the great Nestorius. And from him, that is, from Theodoret, Ihiba received. That Ihiba, together with the rest of all his blasphemies which are written above, added and blasphemed in one of his discourses and spoke thus: \"I do not envy Ihiba that he did not begrudge in Christ that he became God.\" For he was called God because he is in the beginning, consubstantial and of like nature. For this reason Ihiba and Theodoret of Cyrus were anathematized, along with their companions and all who submitted to them. From him, that is, from Ihiba, a man whose name was Mārī from Beth Hardashīr received, and from there it began that the land of the Persians was corrupted by Nestorianism, through the letters of Ihiba and the interpretation of the discourse and the translations of his companions. And after Mārī, from Ihiba a presbyter from Edessa whose name was Marutha Eliṯā received. He was the scribe of the school of the Persians which was in the city of Edessa at that time. And there were in the school of Edessa at the time of the Persians who were with them these: Aqaq the Aramean, who was called in that school \"the yoke of blame\"; and Barṣawma, the servant of Mārā Qadrōyā, who was called \"the helper of the house of Qaʿā\"; and Maʿā of Beth Hadratšīr, who was called \"the staff of ashes\"; and ʿAbšūṭā of Ṣīʿūā, a city which is called a name that it is not right to write; and Yōḥannān the potter, who was called \"the snare\"; and Mīkā, who was called \"Ragōʿ\"; and Pōlā bar Qaqqī from the fortress of Beth Hūzāyē, who was called \"the servant of Lōbīās.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܢܣܛܘܪ̈ܝܘܣܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Nestorians' (Nesṭoryānē) is used here as a polemical label for the followers of Nestorius, not as a neutral self-designation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Theodoret of Cyrus and Ihiba (Ibas of Edessa) were key figures in the Nestorian controversy; both were condemned at the Council of Ephesus (431) and later rehabilitated at Chalcedon (451), but remained controversial in anti-Chalcedonian sources.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ܕܗܘ ܐܬܩܪܝ ܗܘܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܒܪܢܫܐ ܗܘ ܐܟܘܬܝ ܘܒܪ ܟܝܢܝ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'consubstantial and of like nature' echoes Nicene creedal language (homoousios) but is used here to critique Nestorian Christology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܢ ܒܬܪ ܡܪܝ ܩܒܠ ܡܢܗ ܕܝܗܝܒܐ ܐܢܫ ܩܫܝܫܐ ܡܢ ܐܘܪܗܝ","severity":"info","text":"The letter traces a chain of transmission from Nestorius through Theodoret and Ihiba to Mārī of Beth Hardashīr and then to Marutha Eliṯā, a presbyter and scribe of the School of the Persians in Edessa.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܫܡܐ ܕܠܐ ܙܕܩ ܕܢܟܬܒܝܘܗܝ","severity":"caution","text":"The author deliberately omits the name of the city of ʿAbšūṭā, stating it is 'a name that it is not right to write,' likely due to its obscene or blasphemous connotation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage lists a series of named individuals associated with the School of Edessa, each given a derogatory epithet, forming a catalog of opponents in the anti-Nestorian polemic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Mārā Qadrōyā' is unclear; it may be a proper name or a title.","The epithet 'the yoke of blame' for Aqaq is obscure in its precise referent."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ܘܐܒܪܗܡ\nܡܕܝܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܗܘܐ ܫܓܪ\nܒܢܵܐ ܘܢܪܣܐ ܓܪܒܢܐ ܐܙܠܝܐ\nܡܢ ܕܝܪܐ ܕܟܦܪ ܡܪܝ. ܗܠܝܢ\nܥܡ ܚܒܪ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ. ܚܕ\nܨܒܝܢܐ ܩܫܝܐ ܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ ܗܘܘ. ܒܢܵܝ ܬܪܥܝܬܗ ܕܝܗܝܒܐ\nܘܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܢ ܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ\nܕܠܐ ܫܡܥܝܢ ܠܗܝܒܐ ܕܗܐ\nܟܬܝܒܝܢ ܫܡܗܵܝܗܘܢ. ܡܪܝ\nܦܦܐ ܡܢ ܒܝܬ ܠܦܛ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ\nܕܗܘܙܵܝܐ. ܡܪܝ ܐܟܣܢܝܐ ܡܢ\nܬܚܠ ܕܒܝܬ ܓܪ̈ܡܝ. ܘܐܚܘܝ\nܕܫܡܗ ܐܕܝ. ܘܡܪܝ\nܒܪܚܕܒܫܒܐ ܩܪܕܘܝܐ. ܗ̇ܘ\nܕܗܘܐ ܒܬܪܟܢ ܪܝܫܕܝܝܪܐ\nܒܕܝܪܐ ܕܥܝܢ ܩܢܐ. ܘܡܪܝ\nܒܢܝܡܝܢ ܐܪܡܝܐ. ܕܗܘܐ\nܒܬܪܟܢ ܪܝܫܕܝܪܐ ܒܩܪܝܬܐ\nܕܕܝܪܐ ܕܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܕܒܫܘܠܛܢܐ\nܕܥܘܡܪ̈ܝܢ. ܘܐܚܪ̈ܢܐ ܥܡܗܘܢ\nܕܠܐ ܫܠܡܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܨܒܝܢܗ\nܕܝܗܝܒܐ. ܘܒܬܪ ܡܘܬܗ ܕܗܝܫܐ\nܐܬܛܪܕ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ ܡܢ\nܐܘܪܗܝ. ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ ܕܟܬܵܒܐ\nܐܘܪ̈ܗܝܐ ܕܫܠܡܝܢ ܗܘܘ\nܠܗܘܢ ܘܒܝܕ ܚܦܝܛܘܬܗ\nܕܛܘܒܢܐ ܡܪܝ ܩܘܪܐ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ\nܕܐܘܪܗܝ. ܘܒܦܘܩܕܢܗ ܕܙܢܘܢ\nܡܠܟܐ ܕܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ ܐܬܥܩܪܬ\nܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܕܝ...ܝܢ ܕܝܠܦܝܢ\nܗܘܘ ܒܗ̇. ܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ ܒܐܘܪܗܝ\nܘܐܬܒܢܝ ܒܕܘܟܬܗ ܗܝܟܠܐ\nܒܫܡܗ ܕܡܪܝܬ ܡܪܝܡ ܝܠܕܬ\nܐܠܗܐ. ܗܠܝܢ ܕܐܬܛܪܕܘ ܡܢ\nܐܘܪܗܝ. ܢܚܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܠܒܝܬ\nܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ. ܘܗܘܘ ܡܢ ܗܢܘܵܢ\nܐܦܝܣܩܵܘܦܐ ܒܡܕܝܵܢܬܐ\nܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ. ܗܢܘ ܕܝܢ ܐܩܩ ܒܝܬ\nܐܪ̈ܡܝܐ. ܘܒܪܨܘܡܐ ܡܣܝܒܐ\nܒܢܨܝܒܝܢ. ܡܥܢܐ ܒܝܬ ܗܕܪܫܝܪ܆\nܝܘܚܢܢ ܒܟܪܟܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܣܪܝ\nܕܒܝܬ ܓܪ̈ܡܝ. ܡܝܟܐ ܒܠܫܘܡ\nܕܒܝܬ ܓܪ̈ܡܝ. ܘܦܘܠܐ ܒܪ\nܩܩܝ ܒܟܪܟܐ ܕܠܕܢ ܕܒܝܬ\nܗܘܙܵܝܐ. ܘܦܘܣܝ ܒܪ ܩܘܪܛܝ. ܒܫܘܫܛܪ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܗܘܙܵܝܐ. ܐܒܪܗܡ ܒܝܬ ܡܕܵܝܐ. ܢܪܣܝ\nܓܪܒܢܐ ܗܘܐ ܡܠܦܢܐ ܒܢܨܝܒܝܢ\nܘܟܕ ܒܥܝܢ ܗܘܘ\nܗܘܙܵܝܐ ܘܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ ܒܝܘܠܦ̈ܢܐ\nܕܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ ܘܕܬܐܕܘܪܐ ܐܟ\nܡܐ ܕܡܩܒܠ ܗܘܐ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܢ\nܝܗܝܒܐ. ܘܥܒܕ ܟܢܘܫܝܐ ܡܫܠܚܠܦܵܐ\nܒܝܬ ܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ.","english":"and Abraham the Mede, who was called Shagar, Bata and Barsa the Garbaean, Azlia from the monastery of Kapar Mari, these with their other companions were one harsh faction. They were opposed to the teaching of Yahb, and there were also others who did not listen to Yahb, whose names are written here: Mar Papa from Beth Laphat, the city of the Huzites; Mar Aksnaya from Tahal of Beth Garmi; and his brother whose name is Adi; and Mar Bar-Hadbshaba the Kurd, who was after the archdeacon in the monastery of 'Ain Qata; and Mar Bshimish the Aramaean, who was after the archdeacon in the village of the monastery of the school in the jurisdiction of the 'Umraye; and others with them who did not submit to the will of Yahb. And after the death of Hisha, all the Persians were expelled from Edessa, along with the rest of the Edessan writings that had submitted to them, and through the diligence of the blessed Mar Qura, bishop of Edessa, and by the command of the small king of the Romans, the school of the ... who were teaching there was uprooted. The Persians in Edessa were scattered, and in its place a church was built in the name of Our Lady Mary, the Mother of God. Those who were expelled from Edessa went down to Beth Parsaye, and they were with the bishop there in the city of the Persians. That one, however, settled in Beth Aramaye. And Barsawma the elder in Nisibis; Ma'na in Beth Hadrashir; Yohannan in the fortress of Beth Sari of Beth Garmi; Mika in Lashom of Beth Garmi; and Pula bar Qaqi in the fortress of Lada of Beth Huzaye; and Pusi bar Qurti in Shushtar, the city of the Huzites; Abraham in Beth Madaye; Barsa the Garbaean was a teacher in Nisibis. And when the Huzites and Persians were seeking the teachings of Nestorius and Theodore, as they received them from Yahb, they made a mixed confession among the Persians.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܢܵܐ ܘܢܪܣܐ ܓܪܒܢܐ","severity":"info","text":"The names Bata and Barsa the Garbaean are obscure; Garbaean likely refers to a region or tribe, possibly in northern Mesopotamia.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܪܝ ܩܘܪܐ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ ܕܐܘܪܗܝ","severity":"info","text":"Mar Qura, bishop of Edessa, is known from other sources as a Miaphysite leader active in the late 5th–early 6th century, opposing Nestorian influence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܙܢܘܢ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'small king of the Romans' likely refers to a Byzantine emperor, possibly Zeno (r. 474–491) or Anastasius I (r. 491–518), who ordered the closure of the Edessan school.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܒܬܪ ܡܘܬܗ ܕܗܝܫܐ","severity":"info","text":"This passage marks a narrative shift from listing opponents of Yahb to recounting the expulsion of Persians from Edessa after the death of Hisha, a key chronological marker.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܒܬܪ ܡܘܬܗ ܕܗܝܫܐ","severity":"info","text":"The death of Hisha (possibly a Persian or ecclesiastical leader) is not independently dated; the expulsion of Persians from Edessa likely occurred in the late 5th century.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܥܒܕ ܟܢܘܫܝܐ ܡܫܠܚܠܦܵܐ ܒܝܬ ܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'mixed confession' among the Persians reflects Simeon's polemical view that Nestorian teaching produced doctrinal confusion, a common Miaphysite accusation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Hisha' (ܗܝܫܐ) is uncertain; it may be a personal name or a title.","The phrase 'school of the ...' (ܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܕܝ...ܝܢ) is partially illegible in the Syriac; the English draft supplies 'who were teaching there' as a conjecture.","The location 'Beth Hadrashir' (ܒܝܬ ܗܕܪܫܝܪ) is not securely identified."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"ܩܕܡܝܬ ܕܝܢ ܒܝܬ\nܦܠܛ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܡܝܛܪܦܘܠܝܣ\nܕܗܘܙܵܝܐ. ܒܫܢܬ ܥܣܪܝܢ ܘܫܒܥ\nܕܦܝܪܘܙ ܡܠܟ ܡܠܟܵܐ ܗܘܬ\nܗܕܐ. ܘܬܘܒ ܒܣܠܩܘܒܩܛܣܝܦܘܢ\nܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܐܪ̈ܡܝܐ. ܘܬܘܒ\nܒܝܬ ܥܕܪܝ ܩܪܝܬܐ ܒܫܘܠܛܢܐ\nܕܒܝܬ ܢܘܗܕܪܐ. ܘܣܡ ܩܢܘܵܢܐ\nܡܫܚܠܦ̈ܐ ܕܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܚܕܬܐ\nܡܢ ܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܘܦܪܫ ܢܦܫܗܘܢ\nܡܢ ܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܫܪܝܪܬܐ\nܕܐܒܗܵܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܵܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܕܡܢ\nܫܠܝܵܚܐ ܩܕܝܵܫܐ ܩܒܠܘܗܝ ܗ̇ܝ\nܕܐܬܟܪܙܬ ܒܝܕ ܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ܆\nܒܢܝܩܝܐ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܡܢ ܬܠܬܡܐܐ\nܘܬܡܢܬܥܣܪ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ ܥܡ\nܩܘܣܛܢܛܝܢܘܣ ܡܠܟܐ ܡܗܝܡܢܐ\nܫܪܝܪܐ ܕܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ. ܘܫܠܡܘ\nܡܐܐ ܘܚܡܫܝܢ ܐܦܝܣܩܵܘܦܐ\nܚܣܝܵܐ ܘܩܕܝܵܫܐ ܕܒܩܘܣܛܢܛܝܢܦܘܠܝܣ\nܥܡ ܬܐܕܣܝܣ ܪܒܐ. ܩܣܪ\nܘܡܐܬܝܢ ܘܚܡܫܝܢ ܘܬܠܬܐ\nܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ ܒܐܦܣܘܣ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ\nܥܡ ܬܐܕܣܝܣ ܙܥܘܪܐ ܩܣܪ\nܘܫܠܡܘ ܠܗ̇ ܘܬܘܒ ܫܪܪܘܗ̇܆\nܐܦ ܐܪܒܥܡܐܐ ܘܬܫܥܝܢ ܘܚܡܫܐ\nܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ ܕܐܠܟܣܢܕܪܝܐ\nܪܒܬܐ. ܘܐܢܛܝܟܝܐ ܕܣܘܪܝܐ\nܘܕܩܦܘܕܩܵܝܐ ܘܕܓܠܛܵܝܐ. ܥܡ\nܙܢܘܢ ܩܣܪ. ܘܒܟܬܒܗ ܕܗ̇ܘ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ\nܗܘܢܛܝܩܘܢ ܘܫܠܡܘ ܘܫܪܪܘ\nܒܙܒܢ ܡܪܘܬܐ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܦܐ\nܗ̇ܘ ܕܐܫܬܕܪ ܗܘܐ ܒܐܝܙܓܕܘܬܐ\nܡܢ ܩܣܪ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܪ̈ܗܘܡܝܐ\nܠܘܬ ܝܙܕܓܪܕ. ܡܠܟ ܡܠܵܟܐ\nܒܫܢܬ ܚܕܥܣܪܐ ܕܡܠܟܘܬܗ\nܥܡ ܐܪ̈ܒܥܝܢ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ\nܕܡܢ ܫܘܠܛܢܐ ܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ ܘܠܗܠܝܢ\nܫܠܡܘ ܘܫܪܪܘ. ܘܐܦ ܗܫܐ\nܬܠܬܝܢ ܘܬܠܬܐ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ\nܕܐܬܪܐ ܕܓܘܪܕܢ ܥܡ ܡܠܟܵܐ\nܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܘܪܘܪ̈ܒܢܝܗܘܢ ܘܬܠܬܝܢ\nܘܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ ܕܐܪܡܢܝܐ\nܪܒܬܐ ܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ. ܥܡ ܡܪ̈ܙܒܢܐ\nܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܥܡ ܫܪܟܐ\nܕܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ ܐܪ̈ܬܕܘܟܣܘ\nܘܡܠܟ̈ܐ ܟܪ̈ܣܛܝܢܐ ܡܢ ܩܘܣܛܢܛܝܢܐ\nܡܠܟܐ ܡܗܝܡܢܐ ܫܪܝܪܐ\nܘܥܕܡܐ ܠܚܝ ܢܦܫܐ ܛܘܒܢܐ\nܐܢܣܛܣ ܩܣܪ. ܟܠܗܘܢ ܗܟܝܠ\nܗܠܝܢ ܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ ܐܚܪܡܘ\nܟܠ ܙܒܢܐ ܒܙܒܢܗ.","english":"First, in the city of Metropolis of the Huzaye, in the year seventeen of Peroz, king of kings, this occurred. And again in Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the city of Beth Aramaye. And again in Beth 'Adri, a village in the jurisdiction of Beth Garmai. And he set up various altars of the new faith, different from their own, and separated themselves from the true faith of the holy fathers, that which from the holy apostles they received, that which was proclaimed by the Holy Spirit, in the city of Nicaea with three hundred and eighteen bishops together with Constantine, the true believing king of the Romans. And the one hundred and fifty holy and sanctified bishops in Constantinople with Theodosius the Great, Caesar. And the two hundred and fifty-three bishops in the city of Ephesus with Theodosius the Lesser, Caesar, and they assented to it and again confirmed it. Also the four hundred and ninety-five bishops of great Alexandria, and of Antioch of Syria, and of Cappadocia, and of Galatia, with Zabbai, Caesar. And in the writing of that which is called the Codex, and they assented and confirmed it at the time of Marutha, bishop, who was sent on an embassy from Caesar, king of the Romans, to Yazdegerd, king of kings, in the eleventh year of his reign, with forty bishops from the jurisdiction of the Persians, and these assented and confirmed it. And also now thirty-three bishops of the region of Gurdan with their king and their magnates, and thirty-two bishops of great Armenia of the Persians, with their marzbans, together with the rest of the orthodox bishops and Christian kings from Constantine, the true believing king, down to the blessed life of Anastasius, Caesar. All these bishops, therefore, excommunicated every time in its time.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܝܛܪܦܘܠܝܣ ܕܗܘܙܵܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"Metropolis of the Huzaye: the metropolitan see of Beth Huzaye (Khuzestan), likely referring to Beth Lapat (Gundeshapur).","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܫܢܬ ܥܣܪܝܢ ܘܫܒܥ ܕܦܝܪܘܙ ܡܠܟ ܡܠܟܵܐ","severity":"info","text":"The regnal year 17 of Peroz I (r. 459–484) corresponds to ca. 475/476 CE, anchoring the events in the late 5th-century Sasanian context.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܬܘܒ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated 'and again' (ܘܬܘܒ) structures a catalogue of locations and councils where the 'new faith' was rejected, building a cumulative argument for orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܚܪܡܘ","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'excommunicated' (ܐܚܪܡܘ) concludes the list, asserting that all listed bishops and councils anathematized the innovations of Barsawma and his faction.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ܒܫܢܬ ܚܕܥܣܪܐ ܕܡܠܟܘܬܗ","severity":"info","text":"The embassy of Marutha to Yazdegerd I is dated to the king's 11th year (ca. 409 CE), well before Peroz, indicating the author conflates or juxtaposes earlier synods with later events.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܘܐܦ ܗܫܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'and also now' (ܘܐܦ ܗܫܐ) shifts abruptly to contemporary bishops (Gurdan, Armenia), but the syntax is ambiguous: it may mean these also confirmed the earlier faith, or that they too were excommunicated.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'he set up various altars of the new faith' (ܘܣܡ ܩܢܘܵܢܐ ܡܫܚܠܦ̈ܐ ܕܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܚܕܬܐ) could refer to Barsawma or to a collective; the subject is not explicit in the Syriac.","The list of councils (Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus) is anachronistically presented as a single continuous affirmation; the author may be conflating multiple synods for rhetorical effect."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"ܠܟܠ ܕܡܡܪܚ\nܠܡܟܬܒ ܐܘ ܠܡܠܦܘ ܘܠܡܫܠܡܘ\nܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܐܚܪܬܐ ܠܒܪ ܡܢ\nܗܕܐ ܕܟܬܝܒܐ ܡܢ ܠܥܠ. ܕܠܗ̇\nܒܠܚܘܕ ܠܒܝܵܟܢ ܘ ܡܗܝܡܢܵܢ ܟܠܗܝܢ\nܥܕ̈ܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܵܬܐ ܕܐܪ̈ܬܕܘܟܣܘ\nܕܒܟܠܕܘܡ. ܘܗܝ ܠܒܝܟܝܢ ܗܘܘ\nܟܠܗܘܢ ܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܫܢܬ\nܥܣܪܝܢ ܘܫܒܥ ܕܥܒܪܘ\nܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ ܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ ܥܠ\nܚܪܡܐ ܕܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ ܟܠܗܘܢ\nܘܕܡܠܟܵܐ ܕܟܬܝܒܝܢ ܡܢ ܠܥܠ. ܘܣܡܘ ܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܐܚܪܬܐ\nܡܢ ܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܕܡܥܠܐ ܪܒܝܥܝܘܬܐ\nܥܠ ܬܠܝܬܝܘܬܐ ܕܡܘܕܝܐ ܒܐܒܐ\nܘܒܒܪܐ ܘܒܪܘܚܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ܆ ܘܒܡܫܝܚܐ\nܒܬܪܝܢ ܟܝܢܵܝܢ. ܡܛܠܗܕܐ ܦܪܫܢܢ\nܢܦܫܢ ܡܢ ܫܘܬܦܘܬܐ ܕܢܣܛܘܪ̈ܝܢܘ\nܡܢ ܫܢܬ ܥܣܪܝܢ ܘܫܒܥ\nܕܦܝܪܘܙ ܡܠܟܐ. ܘܥܕܡܐ ܠܝܘܡܢܐ\nܘܐܚܪܡܢܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܐܦ ܝܡ\nܡܚܪܡܝܢܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܠܣܝܡܘܢ\nܚܪܫܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܪܒܗܘܢ\nܘܠܐܒܝܘܢ ܘܠܐܪܛܝܡܘܢ ܝܡ\nܘܠܦܘܠܐ ܫܡܫܛܝܐ. ܘܠܕܝܕܘܪܐ\nܘܠܬܐܕܘܪܐ. ܘܠܢܣܛܘܪܝܘܣ\nܘܠܬܐܕܘܪܝܛܐ. ܘܠܝܗܝܒܐ. ܘܠܟܠܗܘܢ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܪܕܘ\nܒܥܩܒܬܗܵܘܢ ܘܩܡܘ ܠܘܩܒܠ\nܫܪܪܐ. ܘܥܡܗܘܢ ܘܐܟܘܬܗܘܢ\nܘܡܚܪܡܝܢܢ ܠܡܐܢܝ ܘܠܡܪܩܝܘܢ\nܘܠܐܘܛܟܐ ܘܠܐܪܝܘܣ. ܘܠܐܦܘܠܢܪܝܘܣ ܘܠܝܘܠܦܢܗܘܢ\nܘܠܟܠ ܕܐܬܪܥܝܘ ܐܘ ܡܬܪܥܝܢ\nܐܟܘܬܗܘܢ. ܘܡܚܪܡܝܢܢ ܬܘܒ\nܡܠܝܐܝܬ܆ ܠܟܠ ܡܢ ܕܐܬܘ\nܒܐܓܪܬܐ ܐܘ ܒܣܘܢܗܕܘܣ\nܐܘ ܒܡܐܡܪ̈ܐ ܐܘ ܒܡܕܪ̈ܫܐ\nܐܘ ܒܥܘܢܝܵܬܐ ܐܘ ܒܩܘܪܒ\nܩܘܪܒܢܐ. ܐܘ ܒܩܘܕܫܐ ܕܡܝܵܐ. ܐܘ ܒܡܫܚܐ ܕܡܥܡܘܕܝܬܐ. ܐܡܪܚ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܡܫܠܡܢܐ\nܢܣܒ ܡܢܢ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܡܫܠܡܢܐ. ܠܢܩܝܦܘܬܐ ܘܠܥܡܘܪܝܐ ܕܠܥܠܡ. ܘܠܟܠ ܡܢ ܕܡܦܪܫ ܘܝܗܒ\nܐܠܗܵܝܬܐ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܒܪܐ. ܡܬܘܡܝܐ܆ ܘܐܢܫܝܵܬܐ ܘܚܫܵܐ\nܘܡܘܬܐ ܠܝܫܘܥ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܒܪܐ\nܕܛܝܒܘܬܐ. ܘܚܫܒ ܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܒܢܝܵܢ܆\nܚܕ ܕܟܝܢܐ ܘܐܚܪܢܐ ܕܛܝܒܘܬܐ. ܘܠܟܠ ܡܢ ܕܐܡܪܘ ܘܐܡܪܝܢ\nܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܒܢܝ̈ܐ ܘܝܚܝܕܘܵܬܗܘܢ\nܘܡܥܒܕܢܘܵܬܗܘܢ ܒܡܫܝܚܐ\nܡܢ ܒܬܪ ܚܕܝܘܬܐ ܫܪܝܪܬܐ\nܘܠܐ ܡܬܡܠܠܢܝܬܐ.","english":"To all who dare to write or to teach and to hand on another faith than this which is written above. For it alone is the true and faithful one of all the holy orthodox churches everywhere. And they were of the true faith, all the Persians, until the seventeenth year of the passage of the bishop of the Persians over the excommunication of all the bishops and of the king which are written above. And they set up another faith of their own, a quaternity upon the Trinity, confessing Father and Son and Holy Spirit, and in Christ two natures. Because of this they separated themselves from the communion of the Nestorians from the seventeenth year of Peroz the king. And until today they have excommunicated them, and also they have excommunicated them and their first teachers, the great ones, and their fathers and their teachers, and Paul of Samosata, and Diodore, and Theodore, and Nestorius, and Theodoret, and Ibas, and all those who followed in their footsteps and stood against the truth. And with them and like them they excommunicate Mani and Marcion and Eutyches and Arius and Apollinarius and their teachings, and all who think or think like them. And they excommunicate again fully all those who came in letter or synod or discourses or metrical homilies or questions or in the offering of the offering, or in the sanctification of the water, or in the oil of baptism, who say that God the Word took from the head of the Word a perfect nature, for the hardness and the eternal dwelling, and all who distinguish and give divinity to God the Son, continuously, and sufferings and passion and death to Jesus the head, the Son of grace, and consider two natures, one of nature and another of grace, and all who say and say two natures and their hypostases and their energies in Christ after the true union and the ineffable.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܪܒܝܥܝܘܬܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac term 'quaternity' (rbīʿāyūṯā) is used polemically to accuse opponents of adding a fourth hypostasis to the Trinity, a standard Miaphysite charge against dyophysite Christology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܟܝܢܵܝܢ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'two natures' (trēn kīānē) refers to the dyophysite confession of Christ as having distinct divine and human natures, which the author rejects as a departure from orthodoxy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܦܝܪܘܙ ܡܠܟܐ","severity":"info","text":"Peroz I (r. 459–484) was a Sasanian king whose reign saw the consolidation of the Church of the East under Catholicos Barsawma. The 'seventeenth year' (c. 476) marks a synod that enforced dyophysite doctrine.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ܐܦܝܣܩܘܵܦܐ ܕܦܪ̈ܣܝܐ","severity":"info","text":"The 'bishop of the Persians' likely refers to the Catholicos of the Church of the East, whose excommunication of dissenting bishops is cited as the moment the Persian church abandoned the true faith.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܚܪܡܝܢܢ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated formula of excommunication (mḥarmīnān) against named heretics (Paul of Samosata, Diodore, Theodore, Nestorius, etc.) reflects the Miaphysite practice of anathematizing the entire dyophysite tradition, including its revered teachers.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܢ ܕܝܠܗܘܢ ܕܡܥܠܐ ܪܒܝܥܝܘܬܐ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'another faith of their own, a quaternity' is ambiguous: it may refer to a perceived innovation in creedal formulation or to a specific liturgical or catechetical practice. The author's polemical framing obscures the precise historical referent.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'bishop of the Persians' and the exact synod in year 17 of Peroz are not specified; the text may conflate multiple events.","The list of excommunicated figures includes both historical heretics (Arius, Eutyches) and revered dyophysite teachers (Theodore, Nestorius), reflecting a polemical rather than chronological schema."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"ܕܗܘܬ\nܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ ܡܢ ܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܟܝ̈ܢܐ. ܘܡܚܪܡܝܢܢ ܠܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ\nܘܠܩܢܘܵܢܐ ܘܠܟܠܡܕܡ ܕܗܘܐ\nܡܢ ܐܩܩ ܘܒܪܨܘܡܐ ܝܡ\nܘܢܪܣܝ ܘܚܒܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܗܪ̈ܛܝܩܘ. ܘܠܟܠ ܕܫܠܡܘ ܐܘ ܫܠܡܝܢ\nܠܗܘܢ. ܘܡܚܪܡܝܢܢ ܬܘܒ\nܠܡܐܪܝ ܬܚܠܝܐ ܪܒܗ ܕܒܒܝ\nܩܬܘܠܝܩܐ. ܕܒܝܘܡܵܬܗ ܕܝܠܗ\nܕܒܒܝ. ܐܬܚܙܝ ܗܘ ܗܢܐ ܡܐܪܝ\nܡܠܦܢܐ ܕܗܪ̈ܣܝܣ ܕܒܝܬ ܦܘܠܐ\nܫܡܫܛܝܐ. ܘܕܕܝܕܘܪܐ ܒܒܝܬ\nܐܪ̈ܡܝܐ ܘܡܢܗ ܩܒܠ ܝܘܠܦܢܐ\nܒܒܝ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܐ ܒܪ ܗܘܪܡܝܙܕ. ܕܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘܐ ܣܦܪܐ ܕܙܒܪܓܢ\nܡܪܙܒܢܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܐܪ̈ܡܝܐ. ܟܠ\nܕܠܐ ܡܘܕܐ ܕܡܪܝܡ ܝܠܕܬ\nܐܠܗܐ ܗܝ ܢܗܘܐ ܚܪܡ..","english":"that it was truly from two natures. And they anathematize the faith and the confession and everything that was from Aqaq and Barsawma and from Tharsis and his heretical companions. And all who agreed or agree with them. And they anathematize again Mar Tahliya the Great of the Catholicate of Babi, in whose days this heresy appeared, Mar the teacher of the heresy of the school of Paul the Samosatan, and of Diodore of Babi of the Aramaeans, and from him Babi the Catholicate received teaching, the son of Hormizd, who was the scribe of Zabrigan the marzban of the Aramaeans. Everyone who does not confess that Mary is the Mother of God is anathema.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܪܝܡ ܝܠܕܬ ܐܠܗܐ","severity":"info","text":"The Syriac phrase 'Mary the Mother of God' (ܡܪܝܡ ܝܠܕܬ ܐܠܗܐ) is a direct translation of the Greek Theotokos, a key Christological title affirmed at the Council of Ephesus (431) and rejected by the Church of the East.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The figures Aqaq, Barsawma, Tharsis, and Mar Tahliya are associated with the Church of the East's internal conflicts in the 5th–6th centuries. Barsawma of Nisibis was a leading proponent of dyophysite Christology, opposed by the catholicoi Babi and Mar Tahliya.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'the school of Paul the Samosatan' and 'Diodore of Babi of the Aramaeans' links the heresy to Antiochene Christology, which the letter's author condemns as heretical. Diodore of Tarsus was a teacher of Theodore of Mopsuestia, often associated with dyophysite views.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ܡܪܙܒܢܐ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'marzban' (ܡܪܙܒܢܐ) is a Persian loanword meaning 'frontier lord' or 'governor,' used in Sasanian administration. Zabrigan, the marzban of the Aramaeans, was a high-ranking official in the Sasanian Empire.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage concludes the letter with a series of anathemas, listing individuals and groups condemned for their Christological positions, and ends with a final anathema against those who deny Mary as Theotokos.","cites":[{"key":"ed:dsc-513","label":"source edition: Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham concerning Barsawma","url":"https://syriaccorpus.org/513"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Mar Tahliya the Great of the Catholicate of Babi' is uncertain; he may be a catholicos of the Church of the East, but his exact historical role is not fully attested.","The phrase 'from two natures' (ܡܢ ܬܪ̈ܝܢ ܟܝ̈ܢܐ) could refer to the dyophysite Christology of the Church of the East, but the context suggests it is being condemned as heretical by the letter's author."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}