This brief introduction to the state of Christianity in Iraq during the ascendancy of Islam begins with a discussion of the friction between Christians and Magians. The political role of the church among the Sassanians, both internally and externally, is addressed. With the Islamic conquest various traditions circulated regarding the tolerance of Christianity within Muslim jurisdiction. Morony skillfully navigates these traditions, providing a plausible historical view. The formation of the Assyrian Church of the East’s doctrine and identity as well as their schools, monasteries, laws, and their sense of community and separateness are considered. The contrast with Monophysites with their “Nestorian” competitors rounds out the discussion.

The cuneiform terms for sport introduce these studies on a variety of topics dealing with Akkadian and Sumerian lexicography. Other essays include an exploration of a cuneiform description of a volcanic eruption, the Assyrian words pâtu (blowy), pâţu (brim), miţpânu (longbow), talîmu (full brother), budulxu (bdellium), zâzu (halve), marçu (sick and arduous), xamâdu (to help), napšu (lust), and kamâsu, kanâšu, and qamâçu. Semitic and Classical descriptions of naphtha and asphalt, and a study of the cuneiform name of the home of ‘Omar Khayyâm are included. Sumerian lexicography is not neglected, with explorations of nimur (salt, smoke, salt-swamp), and azalak (fuller).

A collection of studies on the Syriac sixth century writer Jacob of Sarug by a team of international scholars, including Susan Ashbrook Harvey, Sebastian P. Brock, Sharbil Iskandar Bcheiry, Khalid Dinno, Sidney Griffith, Mary Hansbury, Amir Harrak, George A. Kiraz, Edward Matthews, Aho Shemunkasho, and Lucas Van Rompay.

Presented in the original Persian, this volume represents the solely published first volume of the Haft Ásmán “seven heavens,” or a compendium of poetry in the seven epic meters of Persian poetry. This history of the masnawí, or Middle Persian poetic form, written in rhymed couplets, is here presented by one of the recognized teachers of Persian in India. This, his final work, was intended to be an introduction to the works of Nizami. As such it contains invaluable nuggets about the Persian poets and their poetry.

The JCSSS is an annual refereed journal containing the transcripts of public lectures presented at the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies Inc. It focuses on the literature, art, and archaeology of Syriac Christianity from the 2nd century to modern times. Contributors include Lucas Van Rompay, Craig E. Morrison, Cor-bishop David Royel, Mary T. Hansbury, Narmen Muhamad Amen Ali, and Khalid Dinno.

This fragment of the Babylonian Etana legend was first published in this brief paper by Morris Jastrow. The fragment is presented here in transliteration and translation along with the able textual commentary of an acknowledged leader among philologists. Following the presentation of the text, Jastrow also offers an interpretation of the text, suggesting where within the Etana legend the fragment fits. Line drawings and photographs of this singular fragment accompany the text of the article. Also included in this volume is a brief piece by Friedrich Delitzsch on Neo-Babylonian contract tablets.

This study focuses on the imagery of meals and feasting in the Baal Myth and Kirta and Aqhat epics. Utilizing contemporary approaches to ritual, these meal events reveal the manner in which ritual behavior described and defined the different social relationships with the Ugaritic pantheon and the interactions between the divine and mortal realms. This study demonstrates the role successful ritual behavior played in the organization and presentation of characters within the narratives, as well as the role of unsuccessful or failed rituals associated with the meal event, which resulted in social chaos and confusion.

A renowned linguist, Franz Praetorius explored several ancient languages in his career. This work concerns his observations of the grammar and various etymologies of Ethiopic. He accomplishes this by discussing 57 lexemes worthy of note and also considering nominal forms with prefixed t and the imperfect preformative with a. These acute observations by a scholar with such finesse are not easily ignored.

The JCSSS is an annual refereed journal containing the transcripts of public lectures presented at the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies Inc. It focuses on the literature, art, and archaeology of Syriac Christianity from the 2nd century to modern times. Contributors include Judith H. Newman, Frederick McLeod, George Bevan, Sidney H. Griffith, Mat Immerzeel, Mary Hansbury, and George Kiraz.

The JCSSS is an annual refereed journal containing the transcripts of public lectures presented at the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies Inc. It focuses on the literature, art, and archaeology of Syriac Christianity from the 2nd century to modern times. Contributors include Adil al-Jadir, Muriel Debié, Richard Burgess, Geoffrey Greatrex, Jan van Ginkel, and Witold Witakowski