Sebastian P. Brock is Reader in Syriac Studies at the Oriental Institute at Oxford and is the author of The Luminous Eye: The Spiritual World Vision of Saint Ephrem (Kalamazoo, 1992). Susan Ashbrook Harvey is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Brown University and author of Asceticism and Society in Crisis: John of Ephesus and the Lives of the Eastern Saints (California, 1990).

• Note on the Translation and AcknowledgmentsAbbreviations Map Preface to the Paperback Edition Updated Bibliography on Women in Syriac Christianity Introduction 1 • Mary, the Niece of Abraham of Qidun IntroductionMary2 • Pelagia of Antioch Introduction Pelagia3 • Persian Martyrs IntroductionA. MarthaB. TarboC. Martyrs ofKarka d-Beth Slokh (Kirkuk)D. History of Karka d-Beth SlokhE. Thekla and CompanionsF. Anahid4 ·Women Martyrs of Najran Introduction A. From Simeon of Beth Arsham's Second LetterB. From the Book of the Himyarites5 ·From the Lives of the Eastern Saints, by John of Ephesus IntroductionA. Mary and EuphemiaB. Susan6 • Anastasia IntroductionAnastasia7 • Febronia Introduction Febronia8 • Shirin Introduction ShirinBibliography and Sources Index of Names

Sebastian P. Brock is Reader in Syriac Studies at the Oriental Institute at Oxford and is the author of The Luminous Eye: The Spiritual World Vision of Saint Ephrem (Kalamazoo, 1992). Susan Ashbrook Harvey is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Brown University and author of Asceticism and Society in Crisis: John of Ephesus and the Lives of the Eastern Saints (California, 1990).

• Note on the Translation and AcknowledgmentsAbbreviations Map Preface to the Paperback Edition Updated Bibliography on Women in Syriac Christianity Introduction 1 • Mary, the Niece of Abraham of Qidun IntroductionMary2 • Pelagia of Antioch Introduction Pelagia3 • Persian Martyrs IntroductionA. MarthaB. TarboC. Martyrs ofKarka d-Beth Slokh (Kirkuk)D. History of Karka d-Beth SlokhE. Thekla and CompanionsF. Anahid4 ·Women Martyrs of Najran Introduction A. From Simeon of Beth Arsham's Second LetterB. From the Book of the Himyarites5 ·From the Lives of the Eastern Saints, by John of Ephesus IntroductionA. Mary and EuphemiaB. Susan6 • Anastasia IntroductionAnastasia7 • Febronia Introduction Febronia8 • Shirin Introduction ShirinBibliography and Sources Index of Names

Sebastian P. Brock is Reader in Syriac Studies at the Oriental Institute at Oxford and is the author of The Luminous Eye: The Spiritual World Vision of Saint Ephrem (Kalamazoo, 1992). Susan Ashbrook Harvey is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Brown University and author of Asceticism and Society in Crisis: John of Ephesus and the Lives of the Eastern Saints (California, 1990).

• Note on the Translation and AcknowledgmentsAbbreviations Map Preface to the Paperback Edition Updated Bibliography on Women in Syriac Christianity Introduction 1 • Mary, the Niece of Abraham of Qidun IntroductionMary2 • Pelagia of Antioch Introduction Pelagia3 • Persian Martyrs IntroductionA. MarthaB. TarboC. Martyrs ofKarka d-Beth Slokh (Kirkuk)D. History of Karka d-Beth SlokhE. Thekla and CompanionsF. Anahid4 ·Women Martyrs of Najran Introduction A. From Simeon of Beth Arsham's Second LetterB. From the Book of the Himyarites5 ·From the Lives of the Eastern Saints, by John of Ephesus IntroductionA. Mary and EuphemiaB. Susan6 • Anastasia IntroductionAnastasia7 • Febronia Introduction Febronia8 • Shirin Introduction ShirinBibliography and Sources Index of Names