Spicilegium Syriacum

Spicilegium Syriacum is a collection of important early Christian documents that provide immense insights into the intellectual perspectives of early Christians, and reveal significant historical details not found elsewhere. Bardesan’s The Book of the Laws of Countries provides unique commentary on the laws of nations around the Mediterranean basin, while Melito’s An Oration of Meliton the Philosopher provides an apologetic for Christianity, and may be extracted from a larger work no longer extant. Ambrose of Alexandria’s Hypomnemata is also an apologetic, though it defends theology associated with Origen, who was deemed a heretic. It may also be an extract from a larger apologetic work. The last and most mysterious text comes from Mara Ben Serapion. It is an epistle that discusses both religious belief and first-century events. Though likely written by a pagan philosopher, it provides key historical insights, was possibly composed in the last quarter of the first century, and may allude to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70.