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“The Assembly of Seleucia on the Tigris according to the Syriac ‘Acts of Mār Māri’” AMIR HARRAK
Published in Melammu Symposia 3: A. Panaino and G. Pettinato (eds.), Ideologies as Intercultural Phenomena. Proceedings of the Third Annual Symposium of the Assyrian and Babylonian Intellectual Heritage Project. Held in Chicago, USA, October 27-31, 2000 (Milan: Università di Bologna & IsIao 2002), pp. 109-18. Publisher: http://www.mimesisedizioni.it/
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HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS
AMIR HARRAK Toronto
The Assembly of Seleucia on the Tigris according to the Syriac Acts of M r M r
I. Introduction
iscussing the Christianization of ver. M r decided to have his first con- Babylonia at the beginning of the tact with the people of Seleucia, and Dsecond century of our era, a rela- found no better place to talk to them than tively late Syriac account, the Acts of the local popular assembly. The Acts of Mr M r ,1 claimed that Seleucia on the Mr M r named that assembly, descri- Tigris witnessed the first Christian mis- bed it, and commented on its activities. sionary activities in Babylonia. A disci- More than a century ago, Franz Cumont, ple of M r Addai, who was sent by Saint a Belgian scholar of Classics and Syriac, Thomas the Apostle to Christianize the published an article 2 in which he identi- kingdom of Edessa, dispatched his own fied the assembly of Seleucia as Helle- disciple, M r by name, to spread Chris- nistic, not much different from the his- tianity in Mesopotamia. M r took an iti- torical assemblies attested in Anatolia nerary that led him to Nisibis, Erbil, Da- during the Roman period. The present sen (west of the Upper Z b), B th Gar- paper will propose that the assembly was mai (east of the Tigris, from the Lower Babylonian both in name and nature on Zb to Diyala), the region of Radan (bet- the basis of another Christian source that ween Diyala and al- !dhim), and finally escaped the attention of Cumont. Moreo- B th Aramaye, “land of the Arameans,” ver, it will suggest that the assembly may which corresponds to Babylonia proper. have been a literary motif, giving context Babylonia was at that time under Par- to a traditional claim within the Syriac thian rule. It was governed by a “king” church, that M r M r was the first to named Aphrahat son of Aphrahat, whose Christianize Babylonia. First, let us give seat was in Seleucia-Ctesiphon, two cit- the literary contexts in which the issue of ies that were separated by the Tigris Ri- the assembly is found.
II. The Sources
The two main sources that mention in character. The first text, the Syriac the assembly of Seleucia are religious Acts of M r M r , discusses the intro-
1 The Acts of M r M r in P. Bedjan, ed., Acta Marty- My English translation of the Acts (forthcoming). rum et Sanctorum Syriacae , vol. 1 (Leipzig 1890), 2 F. Cumont, “Note sur un passage des Actes de St pp. 70ff. The actual text must be dated between the Mâri,” Revue de l’Instruction Publique en Belgique , 5th and 9th centuries; see J.-M. Fiey, Jalons pour une Tome 36 (1893), pp. 373-378. Histoire de l’Église en Iraq (Louvain 1970), p. 40. A. Panaino & G. Pettinato (eds.) MELAMMU SYMPOSIA III (Milano 2002) ISBN 88-8483-107-5 109 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS
duction of Christianity in Upper Syria very moment, the sick man saw Heaven and Mesopotamia during the apostolic opening up! He saw a man, looking like age. The second text, the Christian Ara- the blessed M r M r , coming down and taking his hand to make him rise. The bic Kit b al-Majdal “Book of the To- man was immediately healed and he left wer,” offers a list of the East Syriac ec- his bed. clesiastical leaders starting with Addai and M r , and ending with the leaders Then the blessed M r M r spoke to of the early 12th century. him, saying: “Become a Christian!”. He replied: “What is Christianity? Are you introducing a new god into the world?” Mr M r said to him: “God is not new, II.a. The Syriac Acts Of M r because he exists from the beginning 3 and he is everlasting. He created he- Mr aven, the earth, the seas and all that is in them. He cannot be understood nor When the blessed M r M r realized can he be comprehended. And the Son that he had nowhere to go, he pondered who was begotten of him shares his about what he would do. Now there nature, and his generation cannot be were three assemblies ( pu fr) in Seleu- probed or understood by humans, for he cia, one for the elders, one for the is the light of His divinity. He sent him young people, and one for the children, to the world so that through him it for this is how they organized their as- (Humanity) would come to know His semblies ( pu fr). The blessed one Father and that (through) one Holy thought to stir up controversy at the as- Spirit, who had spoken through the sembly of the elders ( pu fr d-s b ): “If prophets, eternal salvation would take it would be possible, I would hunt their place. They are three true persons, souls starting from this place!”. He equal in every regard, containing all went to them and they seated him below that is seen and unseen, almighty, jud- all of them, saying: “This man is for- ging everyone. This is the salvation of eigner.” And he joined them in singing the Christians and in the name of this and in merriment everyday. one (Christ) we do everything: healing the sick and expelling evil spirits from After a while, the president of the as- people.” Then the president of the as- sembly ( qašš š pu fr) fell sick. He sembly ( r š pu fr) believed in the gave an order to his household con- words of the blessed M r M r , who cerning who among his family would converted him along with the members inherit from him; and necessities for the of his family. He baptized them in the burial were even prepared for him. The name of the Father, the Son, and the whole city came to visit him, and when Holy Spirit. Then the man rose up and the crowds departed from such visits, went to his assembly ( pu fr), and re- the blessed M r M r went in to pay mained there as he had in the past. him a visit too. When the sickness per- sisted, the blessed M r M r said to After some time, the deputy ( r š dr ‘) him: “I shall put my hand on you in the became sick to death. In like manner, name of the true God and you shall be the blessed M r M r accompanied healed.” Because the man could not an- those who went to visit him. M r M r swer, for he was near death, M r M r said to him: “I shall put my hand on got up and put his hand on him in the you in the name of my God and you name of our Lord Jesus Christ. At that shall be healed!”. That man could not
3 Bedjan, Acta Martyrum I, pp.70ff.
110 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS
talk to him because he was about to die. and hills that are in it! And you wrote Now before his eyes he looked and he to me: ‘You have no right to come here too saw Heaven opening up, and a man, or to go elsewhere until you have sub- looking like the blessed M r M r , jected the mountains and the hills that coming down and taking his hand to are in it, have sown in it the living make him rise, and he and the members seed, and have sent from the fruits of of his family were converted. And he its produce to Heaven!’ When I realized went to the assembly ( pu fr), and re- that I had no other choice except to do clined on his seat as before. The so, I went to take my seat in the assem- blessed M r M r too went and reclined bly of the elders ( pu fr d-s b ), and on his seat in his place as before. The associated myself with them in eating people who were converted said to each and drinking. And through the help of other: “This man is a god!”. The presi- God and through your prayers I con- dent of the assembly ( qašš š pu fr) verted among them the two presidents said to the whole assembly: “My Broth- of the assembly ( qašš š d-pu fr). Now ers listen to me! When I was sick, I saw my turn to do the (food) service in a vision Heaven opening up and a (pal f the bread – for there was a tradition in 4 Seleucia according to which the one II.b. Kit b Al-Majdal who does the service must bring bread from his house – so give bread now.” Mr M r the Apostle – may his prayer Mr M r said to them: “Tell me ahead protect all the believers. 5 of time indeed, and I will do whatever you want me to do!”. So he wrote a letter to the apostles, his colleagues, He was one of the ordained among the which he sent to the city of Edessa. He seventy (disciples) and a Hebrew. He wrote to them as follows: “As I wrote began his missionary work and Christi- to you in the past, the land to which anized Babylonia, Ahwaz, and the rest you have sent me is full of thorns and of the regions along the Tigris, Persia, thistles that I cannot tread under my and Kashkar, and the people of the Ra- feet, nor can I step upon the mountains dan (region), where there was a wealthy 4 Maris, Amri et Salibae, Ah abr fat carika kurs al- 5 This line is the entry to the account about M r . Mašriq , edited by R. Gismondi (Rome 1899), p. 3-4. 111 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS man named Halq n.6 He (Halq n) to him: “I am not what you think, but built three hundred and sixty churches, am the apostle of the Creator of heaven, convents and monasteries, furnishing earth and all creatures. He sent me so them with endowments. He (M r M r ) that you may believe in his Son Jesus headed to the city of Seleucia, which is Christ and if you believe in him, giving to the east of al-Mad `in, while Ctesi- up your worship of what has no intelli- phon is to its west. Seleucus, one of the gence and understanding – things that servants of Alexander, built this city, were created for you – then you will and some people said that al-Mad `in live.” was built by Samiram(is), queen of Babylonia. 7 Dionysius the priest was A few days after, the deputy to the head with him. But he found Mazdaism and of the assembly ( hal fat ra’ s al-fu fr) the pursuing of pleasures strong there, fell ill, and M r healed him. All his and so he wrote to Addai to relieve him family accepted the Faith, and so the from (the mission in) it. But Addai re- door was opened for the holy man. plied to him with authority, denying Upon realizing these things, the head of him that (request). So he (M r ) con- the assembly ( ra’ s al-fu fr) thought ducted himself toward them (people of that this was the hand of heaven, and Seleucia) with kindness, until he con- said (to M r ): “You must not sit at the verted them. back of the assembly ( fu fr)!”. But be- cause of the people, they could not seat The Magians had the custom of con- him in the front of the assembly but vening an assembly ( fu fr), a conven- only at the back. tion in which people gathered with re- gard to religion according to specific (M r ) was selected by lot to prepare rules. The young had an assembly the banquet ( fu fr), and they said to (fu fr), as did the children and the eld- him: “Prepare the food and we will ers, but he headed for the assembly of provide you with the rest!”. He replied: the elders ( fu fr al-maš yi h) for they “I do not need anything from you!”. So were more flexible. When he met them, he wrote to Addai, informing him of he spoke with them with the sweetest of this, and asked him for what he needed, words, and thus they trusted him. and Addai sent him more than what was necessary. When M r prepared the Then the head of the assembly ( ra’ s al- banquet ( fu fr), you could hear hymns fu fr) fell seriously ill and was about to beyond compare, in such a way that die, and M r visited him and made him when the two other assemblies ( fu fr- rise by the cross. When his relatives ayn ) heard it, they came, and the people came to him, he told them about the thought that he was a god, and all sub- admirable things that he saw, even con- mitted to him. firming the divinity of M r . M r said III. Textual Interpretation The assembly of Seleucia according to the elders, that of the youth, and that of the Acts of M r M r and Kit b al- the children. Cumont saw in this tripar- Majdal is of three types: the assembly of tite assembly a Greek institution, and 6 He is called Laqn in the Syriac Acts , probably a muramat of Assyrian sources) is based on Greek short form of the original “Halq n.” sources in which Babylonia and Assyria were often 7 The detail about Samiramis “of Babylonia” (Šam- confused. 112 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS went as far as translating the second the holy man in his attempt to convert sentence in the passage given in section such a perverse nation. Thus, driven by II.a above into Greek. his puritan spirit, the biographer carica- In doing so, he associated Syriac tured the assembly of the elders. Other- pu fr d-s b with the Greek gerousia, a wise, he was faithful to the sources council made of a certain number of ge- which he quoted, and this is reflected in rontes, “elders,” as is attested in Greek the sound details related to the assembly cities in Anatolia during the Hellenistic found in the rest of his account. One such and Roman periods. In the pu fr da- detail concerns the citizens of Seleucia ‘laym he saw the Greek eph boi , young who were the only ones entitled to be- men 14 to 20 years of age who obtained come members of the assembly, whereas their education in the eph bia, an insti- foreigners could not join the assembly as tution which was still functioning during members, though they could be accepted the second century of our era, before it into it as guests. This was also the case disappeared shortly thereafter. As for the in the Greek cities of Asia Minor, ac- pu fr da- #ly , Cumont identified it with cording to Cumont. the school of the neoi , an institution No one denies the Hellenistic influence meant to give youngsters early education. on Babylonia, where Seleucia was lo- He also translated qašš š pu fr as pros- cated. Greek replaced Aramaic as the tates- “president” of the Greek inscrip- language of official secular administra- tions, whereas the title of his assistant tion although only to some extent, and was taken (though hesitantly) as the some new offices, including the dioik tes equivalent of the gymnasiarch of the and the prostates , appeared in the Baby- Greek sources. 8 lonian administration. Syncretism of Furthermore, Cumont subscribed to the some Greek and Babylonian deities had opinion that the assembly of the elders taken place, in the case of Anu=Ouranos, did not have any political role to play, Ea=Kronos, Bel=Zeus, 9 and Nabu=A- unlike the Greek boule , a council of citi- pollo. The last association was made in a zens that undertook the affairs of the bilingual inscription, Greek and Parthian, city. Rather, the assembly was a group of dated to the year 150/151 of our era. 10 men of mature age, who used to gather The inscription was incised on the thighs for entertainment, something like the of a bronze statue of Hercules, uncovered Bürgercasinos of the German cities in near the site of Seleucia, perhaps not far the late 1900s. This identification fits away from the temple of Apollo in which well with the claim made by the Acts of it once stood. 11 The Babylonian assembly Mr M r , that the elders of Seleucia had became more or less like the Greek only one concern: to indulge themselves boule , and this seems to be the case of to drunkenness and overeating. This Babylon itself. Though here the Helle- claim may have been amplified by the nized assembly remained religious, else- biographer of M r M r , according to where, as in Uruk, it became increasingly Cumont, so as to highlight the struggle of secular. A clan system was introduced in 8 Cumont, op. cit ., p. 378. partica dell’Eracle di Seleucia,” Mesopotamia 22 9 G. McEwan, Priest and Temple in Hellenistic (1987), pp. 169-184. Babylonia (Wiesbaden 1981), p.186f. 11 W. I. Al-Salihi, “The Weary Hercules of Mesene,” 10 F. A. Pennacchietti, “L’iscrizione bilingue greco- Mesopotamia 22 (1987), pp. 159-67, figs. 57-66. 113 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS Babylon, and as the prebend transactions the pu fr (the head of the assembly, his show, the prebend system was in the deputy), suggesting that this must have hands of these tribes. Moreover, the been an institution entrusted with some clans were the source of all the high offi- kind of official function other than cials working in temple and in the civil drinking and merry making. This sense administration. If Babylonian cities bore of puh Ur seems not attested in Syriac lit- some Hellenistic influence, one can con- erature, but it happens that this term is fidently say that Seleucia was more Hel- Babylonian and it refers to the Babylo- lenistic, given the fact that Seleucus built nian assembly par excellence. it or rebuilt it and that a large Greek Akkadian pu hru refers technically to community lived there as well as native one of the most prestigious social and Babylonians and Jews. religious institutions in Mesopotamia, the But the problem in Cumont’s study is assembly. Cumont was aware of this Ak- his mistranslation of technical terms kadian term, since he quoted Raabe, who found in the Syriac text. True, his ren- first suggested the connection between dering of pu fr as sumposion , a private the Syriac and Akkadian terms. 14 Perhaps drinking party following the evening not being familiar with Akkadian, 15 and meal, reflects the general meaning given misled by the entertainment detail found to the word in Syriac literature and dic- in the Syriac Acts of M r M r , Cumont tionaries. 12 Some Syriac sources go as far overlooked the possible Akkadian origin as equating pu fr with Greek sumposion of pu fr, and was thus led to translate “a drinking event,” just as Cumont com- this term as sumposion . The historical pliantly did. 13 Nonetheless, even though assembly in Mesopotamia is well Syriac lexicography proves Cumont cor- known. 16 Since the dawn of history, Me- rect, entertainment does not seem to be sopotamian cities had each a popular as- the only activity of the pu fr. Although sembly made of socially equal citizens. the Acts of M r M r made this claim, Babylonian sources of the first millen- the 12th century Kit b al-Majdal (II.b. nium B.C. refer to pu hru ša m ti, above) highlighted the religious nature of “assembly of the country,” pu hur um- the fu fr (Syriac pu fr): “…convention in mni, “assembly of the people,” and the which people gathered with regard to re- assemblies of Babylon, Sippar, Nippur, ligion according to specific rules.” Ur, Uruk, etc. In referring to the assem- Nothing more is said about “the specific bly, these sources use the Sumerian rules,” but the religious function of the logogram UKKIN, but sometimes pu hru fuh Ur is clearly expressed. Even the Acts is also found written syllabically. The of M r M r attached specific offices to mandate of the assembly was restricted 12 Sumposion is made of SUN = “with,” POSION (< Geschichte des Dominus Mâris (Leipzig 1893), p. 37. PIPTW “to drink”). Etymologically the word means a 15 By the time Cumont published his article more drinking party/meeting. In point of fact, such events than a century ago, the Sumerians were barely known (put on by private individuals) were of a more cul- and Assyriology was still at its formative stage; see tural nature. That is to say, eating and drinking took P. Garelli, L’Assyriologie (Paris 1972), pp. 23ff. place but also reading of poetry, singing, playing 16 See among others M. A. Dandamajev, “The Neo- musical instruments, dancing etc. Syriac puh rU es- Babylonian Popular Assembly,” in P. Vavroušek-V. sentially corresponds to this meaning. Soušek, Šulmu: Papers on the Ancient Near East 13 See R. Payne Smith, Thesaurus Syriacus (Oxford Presented at International Conference of Socialist 1901), p. 3085 sub PWH ¥R’. Countries (Prague, Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 1986) (Prague 14 Cumont, op. cit ., p. 374 note 3. R. Raabe, Die 1988), pp. 63-71. 114 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS to making judicial decisions in the con- translation of the Syriac term: hal f text of family law and property. In the “deputy” to the head of the assembly. latter domain, it dealt with temple prop- Akkadian does not seem to have an erty and thefts of cattle. Thus, it is diffi- equivalent term, though deputies to the cult to disassociate Syriac pu fr from presidents could well have existed within Akkadian pu hru .17 the assemblies. The late Babylonian assembly and the Mr M r is said to have selected the assembly of Seleucia shared common assembly of the elders to begin his prea- features. The Babylonian assembly was ching, since these were more flexible connected with the city main temple. than the youths and the children. This Members of the assembly participated in assembly is called pu fr d-s b , a term the cultic rituals and festivities taking which literally translates and partially place in the temple, and had a share in duplicates Babylonian pu hru ša š b 17 Aramaic has the root P ΘR but its meaning, “to 19 W. von Soden, Akkadisches Handwörterbuch Band make pottery,” does not fit the context of the Syriac II (Wiesbaden 1972), p. 938. and Arabic sources under study. Otherwise, Syriac 20 Aggoula, RIH 338. pu fr usually means “banquet” as will be seen later. 21 M. A. Dandamayev, “Neo-Babylonian Elders,” in 18 Assuming that M r M r went indeed to Babylonia Societies and Languages of the Ancient Near East: to preach Christianity, the drunkards in the Acts of Studies in Honour of I. M. Diakonoff (Warminster Mr M r could hardly be his main audience. Thus, it 1982) pp. 38-41. would be only logical that he would have addressed 22 A. B. Clay, Babylonian Inscriptions in the Collec- the local elders who had played some official role in tion of J. B. Nies , vol. 4: Letters and Transactions Seleucia, as seems to be the case in the scenario of- from Cappadocia (New Haven 1927), 83:40. fered by Kit b al-Majdal . 115 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS and Agga lines 40-44, Gilgamesh (king nothing justifies Cumont’s translation of of Uruk) is said to have sought the sup- pu fr by symposium. Even the eph boi port of the assembly of the elders in his mentioned in inscriptions found in bid to resist Agga (king of Kish), and Babylonia before 111/110 BC are not afterward he turned to the full assembly linked with a specific assembly but to a to seek the same. One might add the case gymnasium. 23 of the young Rehoboam, son of Solomon, In short, a mere look at the technical who sought “the counsel of the old men” terms related to Seleucia’s assembly in but then forsook the counsel which the the Acts of M r M r and their Akkadian young men gave him (I Kings 6:1-11). counterparts highly suggests that the as- Although none of these sources suggests sembly in question was of the Mesopo- that there was an assembly of young men tamian type: (let alone an assembly of the children), Syriac Arabic Akkadian Assembly: pu fr fu fr pu hru Head of the Assembly: qašš š pu fr ra’ s al- fu fr rab pu hri Assembly of the Elders: pu fr d-s b fu fr al-maš ’i h pu hru ša š b 23 A. Oppenheimer, Babylonia Talmudica = Beihefte palh U 116 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS liš nu iškun < ina qir ti ušb < ašnan kul < iptiq < kurunnu širisa matqu usannin < r t³ š[un] šikru ina šatê Ο)0&ϗ- zum[ri] ma’diš gû kabattašun tel[lis ¯] ana Marduk muter gimill šunu išimm < š mta All the great gods who fix the fates, entered into the presence of Anshar and were filled with joy. They kissed each other, in the assembly […] They exchanged words; they sat at the banquet, they ate grain, drank fine wine, they wetted their drinking pipes with sweet beer. While drinking beer, their bodies turned animated; they became quite carefree, and were very happy; to Marduk their avenger they decreed destiny. During the debate, the deities also In Tablet VI, where the debate about made Marduk the head of their assembly. making Marduk the head of the Babylo- The divine assembly in Tablet III took nian pantheon was about to end, Marduk, place in Nippur, the seat of the major now the head of the divine assembly, ad- Sumerian deity Enlil, but after Marduk dressed the gods in the following terms became the head of the assembly, the As- (VI 72-75): 26 sembly was held in Babylon, his abode. Annam B bili šubat narmêkun nugâ ašruššu Ο/&B() - tašb ma <šib IV. Concluding Remarks Cumont's identification of the Helle- in the Near East resembled each other in nistic assembly in the Acts of M r M r terms of organization (note the role of is not without merit. Ancient assemblies the elders) and aim, since they all in- 26 Ibid., p. 36. 117 HARRAK T HE ASSEMBLY OF SELEUCIA ON THE TIGRIS cluded a debate element. Nonetheless, tory of their Christian faith, Syriac writ- though the assembly of Seleucia accord- ers used several legends. The correspon- ing to the Acts of M r M r may look dence of king Abgar with Jesus, reported like the Hellenistic assembly, it reflects by Eusebius of Caesarea (Palestine) and better a Babylonian type of assembly, the Syriac Teaching of Addai, is one because both are called with the same among many other legends used to ex- name, and each has a religious character. plain the birth of Christianity in Upper If the assembly in the Acts of M r Syria. The assembly-banquet in the Acts Mr was historical, and M r M r in- of M r M r could be yet another legend deed preached in it, this would be the to demonstrate the origins of Christianity only piece of evidence concerning the in Babylonia. Christianization of Mesopotamia. Other- Finally, with regard to whether the as- wise, the early history of Syriac Christi- sembly in the Acts of M r M r was his- anity is shrouded in mystery, as no pri- torical or mythological, the fact that it mary source has ever survived from the was drawn from the ancient Mesopota- first three centuries of the Christian era. mian heritage highlights the role of Sy- This total lack of early sources casts riac literature as a link between the Assy- doubt on the historicity of the preaching rian-Babylonian antiquities and early me- of M r M ri at the assembly of Seleucia. dieval Mesopotamia. In their attempt to write the early his- 118