De Catholicis seu Patriarchis Chaldaeorum et Nestorianorum Commentarius Historico-Chronologicus, originally published in Rome in 1775, remains the major reference to the history of the Patriarchs of the Church of the East (Chaldean and "Nestorian"). Its author, Josephus Aloysius Assemani (1710-1782), was the brother of the illustrious Joseph Assemani. The volume is appended by another work by J.A. Assemani on church unity.

Josephus Aloysius Assemani (1710-1782) was born in Tripoli, Lebanon. He studied theology and Oriental studies in Rome under his brother Joseph Assemani. He was appointed by Pope John Paul II as professor of Syriac at the Sapienza in Rome, and then became professor of liturgy by appointment of Benedict XIV, who also made him a member of the newly-formed Academy for Historic Research.