Contemporary Syriacists and Orientalists

Contemporary Syriacists and Orientalists

The history of the Syriac and Aramean peoples and their Syriac and Aramaic languages and their Syriac heritage, from their ancient Mesopotamian roots to their enduring presence in the Middle East and diaspora, 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 an ever growing list of them that it looks like it will grow morw as we continue building this web portal

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 (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 (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 (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 (1903). 

• Ernest Renan (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 (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 (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.

• DSS (Directorate of Syriac Studies) (and affilated scholars like Bishop Severus Roger Al-Akhrass): The Directorate of Syriac Studies at the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate in Damascus and Al-Atshana areworking diligently on preseving the ecclesiastical Syriac heritage and the church traditions

• Syriaca.org (and affiliated scholars like Daniel Schwartz): This collaborative digital humanities project is creating comprehensive online resources for Syriac studies, including an encyclopedia, a gazetteer of Syriac places, and a biographical dictionary. It represents a major step in making Syriac data accessible and interconnected.

• Beth Merdutho.org (and affiliated scholars like George Kiraz)

Aramean and Aramaic Studies

• Edward Lipiński (1930–2024): A renowned Polish-Belgian Biblical scholar and Orientalist. He was an Emeritus Professor at the Catholic University of Leuven, specializing in Aramaic, Phoenician, Semitic languages, and biblical studies, with numerous influential publications in these fields. His comprehensive work, The Aramaeans: Their Ancient History, Culture, Religion (2000), remains a cornerstone text for the field. 

• S. A. Kaufman: Known for his book "The Akkadian Influences on Aramaic" which discussed the relationship between Aramaic and Akkadian languages

• K. Lawson Younger Jr.: Known for "A Political History of the Arameans: From Their Origins to the End of Their Polities," which offers a comprehensive political history of the Arameans and their interactions with other ancient Near Eastern groups.

• Holger Gzella (born 1974): A leading Semitist, Gzella has made significant contributions to the historical grammar of Aramaic and its relationship with other Semitic languages. His A Cultural History of Aramaic: From the Beginnings to the Advent of Islam (2015) is a major synthesis.

• Paul-Eugène Dion: A significant scholar of Aramean history, particularly known for his work on the Iron Age.

• Albright, W.F.: Contributed to the understanding of the emergence of the Arameans within the broader context of ancient Near Eastern history.

• Glenn Schwartz: His pioneering studies challenged earlier theories about Aramean origins and proposed new frameworks for their early history, suggesting they were semi-nomadic pastoralists rather than invaders.

• Alaa Ahmed Hassnen Alafify: Researches the etymological and historical definitions, origins, and immigrations of the Arameans in the Near East.

• Jona Lendering: His work on Livius.org provides accessible overviews of Aramean history, including their origins, interactions with other empires, and cultural legacy.

• Joseph A. Fitzmyer: A prominent scholar of Aramaic and Semitic languages, known for his collected Aramaic essays ("A Wandering Aramean") and contributions to the classification of Aramaic linguistic history.

• Jonas C. Greenfield: Known for his studies on Aramaic in the Achaemenian Empire and other aspects of Aramaic religion and texts.

• Margaretha Folmer: Her work focuses on the Aramaic language during the Achaemenid Period, examining linguistic variation and its role as an administrative language.

• Geoffrey Khan: A contemporary linguist and scholar of Neo-Aramaic dialects, actively involved in Aramaic language studies and preservation efforts.