Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T13:56:21.666Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

25 - CHRISTIANS IN IRAN

from PART 6 - RELIGIOUS HISTORY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

By
J. P. Asmussen
Edited by
E. Yarshater
J. P. Asmussen
Affiliation:
University of Copenhagen
Get access

Summary

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN EXPANSION IN IRAN

It will always be difficult to form a clear picture of the initial stages of a religion, however much one may know of the revolutionary character of the founder's circumstances and basic religion. It is quite a long process for a new religious society to free itself of the old traditions, to create its own image and to justify its claim to independence. Christianity is no exception in this respect. To the Romans, for example (cf. Suetonius and Tacitus), it was scarcely more than an episode in the history of Jewry, an internal Jewish problem giving rise to disturbances which had regrettable political consequences for the Romans. Nevertheless, the young Christianity very soon became a missionary church whose history is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. It is clear that this missionary work soon made a lasting mark. As early as the beginning of the 2nd century, the Younger Pliny, the imperial representative in the province of Bithynia and Pontus in Asia Minor, found it necessary to write (x. 96) to Trajan for advice concerning the treatment of the Christians. At about the same time, Tacitus (Annals xv. 44) records that the “pernicious superstition” (exitiabilis superstitio) had spread to Rome itself (per urbeni), One should be cautious, however, in assessing the extent and influence of these first communities, and even more so in evaluating the missionary activities in the Euphrates-Tigris area. It is only necessary to establish that Christian groups existed in these parts of the empire at an early date.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge History of Iran
Seleucid Parthian
 , pp. 924 - 948
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abbeloos, J.-B. (ed.) “History of the Apostle Mar Mari”, Analecta Bollandiana (Brussels) IV (1885).Google Scholar
al-Balkhl, Ibn Fārsnāma, ed.le Strange, G. and Nicholson, R. A. (London, 1921).Google Scholar
Asmussen, J. P. “Das Christentum in Iran und sein Verhaltnis zum Zoroastrismus”,Studia Theologica xvi (Oslo, 1962.Google Scholar
Bardaisān, . Le livre des lois des pays, tr. Nau, F.. Paris, 1931.Google Scholar
BarhadbešabbaHalwan, bishop. “Cause de la fondation des écoles”, Syriac text ed. and tr. Scher, A., (Paris, 1908). (Patrologia Orientalis IV. 4).Google Scholar
Baumstark, A. Geschichte der syrischen Literatur. Bon, 1922; repr. 1968.Google Scholar
Bedjan, P. (ed.) Acta martyrum et sanctorum (Syriac text), 7 vols. Paris, 1890–7.Google Scholar
Bovajian, D. H. Yeghisbeb, The History of Vartanank (New York, 1952).Google Scholar
Braun, , Das Buch der Synbados, Dauvillier, J. Le Droit chaldien (Paris, 1939), Mār Abā’s marriage laws are edited by Sachau, in Syrische Kechtsbücher iii.Google Scholar
Braun, “Der Briefwechsel des Katholikos Papa von Seleucia”, Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie XVIII (Innsbruck, 1894).Google Scholar
Braun, O. Das Buch der Synhados. Stuttgart-Vienna, 1900.Google Scholar
Braun, O. Ausgewāhlte Akten persischer Märtyrer. Kempten-Munich, 1915 (Bibliothek der Kirchenvater 22).Google Scholar
Braun, O. (tr.) De Sancta Nicaena Synodo: Syrian text of Maruta of Mapherket. Munster, 1898 (Kirchengeschichtliche Studien IV. 3).Google Scholar
Chabot, J. B. (ed. and tr.) “Synodicon orientale ou Receuil de synods nestoriens” (Syriac text and French translation), Notices et extraits des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque Nationale XXXVII. Paris, 1902.Google Scholar
Chabot, J. B. (ed. and tr.) Chronique de Michel le Syrien, 3 vols. Paris, 1899–1905.Google Scholar
Chaumont, M.-L. “L'inscription de Kartir à la Ka'ba de Zoroastre” (Text, translation and commentary), Journal Asiatique (Paris) 1960.Google Scholar
Chaumont, M.-L. “Le culte d'Anahita à Staxr et les premiers Sassanides”, Revue de l'Histoire des Religions (Paris) CLIII (1958).Google Scholar
Chaumont, M.-L. “Les Sassanides et la christianisation de l'Empire Iranien au IIe siècle de notre ère”. Revue de l'Histoire des Religions (Paris) CLXV (1964).Google Scholar
Christensen, , Le Règne du roi Kawādh I et le communisme mazdakite (Copenhagen,1925.Google Scholar
Christensen, A. Études sur le zoroastrisme de la Perse antique (Copenhagen, 1928).Google Scholar
Cureton, W. (ed. and tr.) Ancient Syriac Documents. London, 1864.Google Scholar
Dauvillier, ,“L‘Expansion de l‘eglise syrienne en Asie Centrale et en Extreme-Orient”,L‘Orient Syrien I (Paris, 1956.Google Scholar
de Menasce, J. Une encyclopédie mazdéenne, le Dēnkart. Paris, 1958.Google Scholar
de Urbina, Ortiz, “Storia e cause dello Scisma della Chiesa di Persia”, Orientalia Christiarui Periodica III (Rome, 1937.Google Scholar
Dēnkart, ed. Dresden, M. J.. Wiesbaden, 1966.Google Scholar
Dēnkart. Madan, D. M., ed. The Pahlavi Dinkard, 2 vols (pt I, books III-V, pt II, books VI–IX). Bombay, 1911.Google Scholar
Drijvers, H. J. W. Bardai⊡an of Edessa. Assen, 1966 (Studia Semitica Neer-landica 6).Google Scholar
Fiey, J.-M. “Auteur et date de la Chronique d'Arbéles”, L'Orient Syrien XII (Paris, 1967).Google Scholar
Gagé, J. La Montée des sassanides et l'heure de Palmyre (Paris, 1964).Google Scholar
Gray, L. H. “Two Armenian Passions of Saints in the Sāsānian Period”, Anakcta Bollandian LXVII (1949).Google Scholar
Guidi, I. (ed. and tr.) Chronica Minora, part 1 (Syriac text and Latin translation). Paris, 1903 (CSCO, Scriptores Syri, Series III, vol. IV).Google Scholar
Guidi, I. “Ostsyrische Bischöfe und Bischofssitze im V., VI. und VII. Jahrhundert”, Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenldndischen Gesell XLIII (1889).Google Scholar
Hambye, E. R. “Note sur les communautés orientales du Malabar”, L'Orient Syrien I (Paris, 1956).Google Scholar
Hansen, O. “Uber die verschiedenen Quellen der christlichen Literatur der Sogder”, Acta Orientalia (ediderunt Societates Orientales Batava Danica Norvegica Svedica) XXX (1966).Google Scholar
Hansen, O. “Die christliche Literatur der Soghdier”, Akademie der Wissenschaften und der loiter atur im Mainz Jahrbuch (1951).Google Scholar
Higgins, M. J., “Aphraates' Dates for Persian Persecution”, Byzantinische Zeitschrift XLIV (1951).Google Scholar
Hoffmann, G. “Aüsziige aus syrischen Akten persischer Märtyrer”, Abhandlungen fur die Kunde des Morgenlandes VII (Leipzig, 1880).Google Scholar
Honigmann, E. and Maricq, A. Recherches sur les Res Gestae Divi Saporis. Brussels, 1953.Google Scholar
Book III: tr. Menasce, J. as Le troisième livre du Dēnkart. Paris, 1973 (Travaux de l'institut d'études iraniennes de l'Université de Paris, 5; Bibliothèque des oeuvres classiques persanes, 4).Google Scholar
Labourt, J. Le Christianisme dans l'empire perse. Paris, 1904.Google Scholar
Land, J. P. N., kristyānā wabrikā dǝmalkē(ed.),Anecdota Syriaca 1 (Leiden, 1862.Google Scholar
Books V and VII: tr. Molé, M. as La légende de Zoroastre selon les textes Pehlevis. Paris, 1967 (Travaux de l'institut d'études iraniennes de l'Université de Paris, 3).Google Scholar
Macomber, F. “The Christology of the Synod of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, A.D. 486”, Orientalia Christiana Periodica xxiv (Rome, 1958.Google Scholar
Marga, Thomas of The Book of Governors, ed. Wallis Budge, E. A., 11 (London, 1893.Google Scholar
Mas’ūdī, see Christensen, , L’Iran sous les Sassanides (Copenhagen, 1944).Google Scholar
Menasce, J. (tr.) Une apologetique mazdéenne du IXe siècle: Škand-gumānīk vičār. Fribourg-en-Suisse, 1945.Google Scholar
Mešiha-zeka, . “Chronicle of Arbela”, ed. Mingana, A. in Sources syriaques 1. Leipzig, 1907. “Die Chronik von Arbela”, tr. Sachau, E., Abhandlungen der Preussischen (Deutschen) Akademie der Wissen schaften (Phil. Hist. Klasse) (Berlin) 1915.6. Latin tr. Zorell, F. in Orientalia Christiana VII.4 (31). Rome, 1927.Google Scholar
Messina, G. (ed. and tr.) Diatessaron Persiano. Rome, 1951 (Biblica et Orientalia 14).Google Scholar
Moss, C. Catalogue of Syriac Printed Books and Related Literature in the British Museum. London, 1964.Google Scholar
Nestle, E. “Die Statuten der Schule von Nisibis aus den Jahren 496 und 590”, Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte XVIII (Gotha, 1898.Google Scholar
Neusner, J. “The Conversion of Adiabene to Judaism”, Journal of Biblical Literature LXXXIII (Boston, 1964).Google Scholar
Peeters, , “Observations sur la vie syriaque de Mar Aba, catholicos de l’église perse 540-552”, Studi e testi cxxv (Vatican City, 1946).Google Scholar
Peeters, P. “S. Démétrianus évêque d'Antioche?” AB XLII (1924).Google Scholar
Peeters, P. “S. Ražden le Persan”, Anakcta Bollandian xxxm (1914).Google Scholar
Phillips, G. (ed. and tr.) The Doctrine of Addai, the Apostle. London, 1876.Google Scholar
Pigulevskaja, N. Les Villes de l'état iranien aux époque parthe et sassanide (Paris, 1963).Google Scholar
Book VI: ed., tr. and annotated by Shaked, S. as Wisdom of Sasanian Sages. Boulder, Colorado, 1979 (Persian Heritage Series 34).Google Scholar
Sachau, E. “Vom Christentum in der Persis”, Sitzungsberichte der Preussischen (Deutschen) Akademie der Wissenschajten (Phil. Hist. Klasse) XXIX 1916.Google Scholar
Sachau, E. (ed. and tr.) Syrische Rechtsbücher, 3 vols. Berlin, 1907–14.Google Scholar
Sachau, “Von den rechtlichen Verhältnissen der Christen im Sasanidenreich”, Mitteilungen des Seminars für Orientaliscbe Sprachen zu Berlin II (1907).Google Scholar
Segal, J. B. “Some Syriac Inscriptions of the 2nd-3rd Century A.D.”, Bulletin of the School of Oriental (and African) Studies XVI (1954).Google Scholar
Ephraem, St. Commentaire de l'Évangile Concordant, ed. and tr. Leloir, L.. Dublin, 1963. This Afrem (St Ephraem) manuscript contains a little more than half of the original Syriac text; in its entirety it is still only known in an Armenian translation (two manuscripts), also ed. and tr. into Latin by Leloir, L., 2 vols. Louvain, 1953–4 (CSCO 137, 145; Scriptores Armeniaci 1, 2).Google Scholar
Vööbus, A. “The origin of Monasticism in Mesopotamia”, Church History XX. 4 (Chicago, 1951).Google Scholar
Vööbus, A. History of Asceticism in the Syrian Orient: a contribution to the History of Culture in the Near East 1, The Origin of Asceticism; early Monasticism in Persia. Louvain, 1958 (CSCO 184, Subsidia 14).Google Scholar
Vööbus, A. “The significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for the History of Early Christianity”, Yearbook of the Estonian Learned Society in America 11, 1954–8 (New York, 1958).Google Scholar
Vööbus, A. “Un Vestige d’une lettre de Narsaï et son importance historique”,L’Orient Syrien ix (Paris, 1964).Google Scholar
Widengren, G. and Heichelheim, F. W. in Orientalische Geschichte von Kyros bis Mohammed 11. Leiden, 1966 (Handbuch der Orientalistik, ed. Spuler, B. (Leiden-Cologne) 1. 114. 2).Google Scholar
Widengren, , “Researches in Syrian Mysticism”, Numen viii (Leiden, 1961).Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×