Gorgias Press
Founded in 2001 Gorgias Press is an independent academic publisher of books and journals related to history, languages, and religious studies, with specific areas of expertise in the Ancient Near East, Arabic and Islamic Studies, Archaeology, Biblical Studies, Classics, Early Christianity, Jewish Studies, Linguistics, and Syriac.

Gorgias [GOR-gee-us] Press was originally created by George and Christine Kiraz as a specialty press that could keep up with their research interests. With a background in computational linguistics, George Kiraz envisioned combining cutting-edge technology with humanities research. The new company would be completely online, with no physical storefront, and it would use automation and digital printing technology rather than traditional print runs. With these tools, the press could afford to publish rare and understudied topics that were previously considered unprofitable, and Gorgias soon became known for its pioneering work in language and linguistics, religion, and especially Syriac and Eastern Christianity.
Gorgias’ philosophy of “Publishing for the Sake of Knowledge” rather than profit, attracted a number of new authors, and the press’ areas of interest rapidly began to expand. Today, Gorgias Press publishes 50-60 new titles a year, including monographs, edited volumes, translations, and more, and Gorgias books can be found in academic collections all over the world.
Perilous Modernity Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 231
ISBN: 9781611431285
Pub Date: 28 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Analecta Isisiana: Ottoman and Turkish Studies
Description:
Perilous Modernity collects essays on the idea of modern science and medicine in the Ottoman Empire during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Republican Turkey Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 315
ISBN: 9781611431254
Pub Date: 28 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Analecta Isisiana: Ottoman and Turkish Studies
Description:
This work is a collection of essays by Aryeh Smuelevitz on Turkey between the years 1976 and 1982, a period of political turmoil and violence which culminated in a military coup.
The Ottomans, the Turks and World Power Politics Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 252
ISBN: 9781611431308
Pub Date: 28 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Analecta Isisiana: Ottoman and Turkish Studies
Description:
Selim Deringil, a leading historian of the late Ottoman Empire, collects a sample of his essays on the central state and its relations with the periphery and the outside world in this volume.
Workers, Peasants and Economic Change in the Ottoman Empire, 1730-1914 Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 221
ISBN: 9781611431278
Pub Date: 28 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Analecta Isisiana: Ottoman and Turkish Studies
Description:
This collection of essays contains the work of one of the premier Ottoman economic and social historians, Donald Quataert, covering topics relating to labour and manufacturing in the nineteenth century.
Collection of Historical Documents in Relation with the Syriac Orthodox Community in the Late Period of the Ottoman Empire Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 126
ISBN: 9781607249948
Pub Date: 25 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies
Description:
In the Ottoman Empire, Syriac communities kept their own baptismal books, marriage, funeral and other records and many of these can be found in various libraries, churches, monasteries in the West and East. The Syriac Garšūnī manuscript found in the Church of the Forty Martyrs in Mardin contains several lists of different subjects that go back to the late period of the Ottoman Empire. These lists, published here for the first time with annotations, are an important historical source for the social, economic, cultural and religious history of the Near East during the 19th century.
Jacob of Sarug’s Homilies on Elisha Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 361
ISBN: 9781607243021
Pub Date: 25 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homilies on the prophet Elisha deals with some of the more difficult stories in the Old Testament, how to understand the story of the bears who ravage the children who made fun of the prophet and why the sacrifice by the King of Moab of his son to his pagan god was seemingly successful. The volume constitutes a fascicle of The Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug, which, when complete, will contain the original Syriac text of Jacob's surviving sermons, fully vocalized, alongside an annotated English translation.
The Ain I Akbari of Abul Fazl 'Allami (Vol 2) Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 478
ISBN: 9781607242543
Pub Date: 23 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Kiraz Chronicles Archive
Description:
The “Institutes of Akbar,” or Ain-i-Akbari, are an unconventional history of the 16th century reign of Akbar the Great of the Mughal Dynasty. Ain-i-Akbari is actually the third volume of a much larger Persian document, the Akbarnama composed by Abuul Fazl. Ain-i-Akbari itself is a three-volume work, and the material offered in this set represents the first volume of that three-volume work.
A Character Sketch of the Promised Messiah Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 88
ISBN: 9781617191930
Pub Date: 21 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Analecta Gorgiana
Description:
The life, sayings, and character of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the Ahmadi movement, which were written during his lifetime in Urdu by a close follower are documented here.
A Dictionary of the Bible (vol 1) Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 882
ISBN: 9781617192142
Pub Date: 21 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Kiraz Historical Dictionaries Archive
Description:
This copious dictionary of the Bible includes maps, an index, and a volume of related articles on various topics.
The Demonstrations of Aphrahat, the Persian Sage Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 592
ISBN: 9781593337681
Pub Date: 11 Oct 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies
Description:
Among the earliest known sources from the Persian Church, the 4th-century Demonstrations of Aphrahat reflect a form of Christianity much closer to its Jewish roots than contemporary Western forms. Their mix of ascetic instruction, polemic against Judaism, and theological reflection provides an invaluable glimpse into this otherwise poorly documented period.
Perspectives on Hebrew Scriptures VI Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 974
ISBN: 9781611430042
Pub Date: 29 Sep 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Perspectives on Hebrew Scriptures and its Contexts
Description:
This volume incorporates all the articles and reviews published in Volume 9 (2009) of the Journal of Hebrew Scriptures.
The Book of Lamentations and the Social World of Judah in the Neo-Babylonian Era Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 277
ISBN: 9781607241126
Pub Date: 22 Sep 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
Using a form of social-historical criticism this book provides a counter-reading of Lamentations that elucidates the impact and aftermath of siege warfare on Judah's peasants. The rhetoric of Lamentations, ancient Near Eastern writings, and archaeological evidence are considered, along with social models from other agrarian societies. Together these shed light on the changing social dynamics, religious customs, and political and economic structures of rural and urban Judah in the sixth century BCE.
The History of the Great Deeds of Bishop Paul of Qentos and Priest John of Edessa Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 99
ISBN: 9781607246701
Pub Date: 22 Sep 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
Desiring to lead an ascetic life during the 5th century, Paul abandons his bishopric in Italy and travels to Edessa. John realizes that Paul is a wonderworker, and so begs to accompany him on his travels. The two leave Edessa to visit the monks on Sinai, but instead of reaching their destination they are abducted and taken to Yemen by tree-worshipping Arabs.
A Comparison of the Egyptian Execration Ritual to Exodus 32:19 and Jeremiah 19 Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 251
ISBN: 9781611435467
Pub Date: 21 Sep 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Perspectives on Hebrew Scriptures and its Contexts
Description:
Ancient Egyptian leaders sought to preserve the status quo by using not only their military might, but also enlisting magical rituals to help control any perceived threats to their way of life. Biblical leaders also sought to control their respective peoples by means of divine authority, brute force, and/or ritual actions. Examples of ritual actions by Moses and Jeremiah mimic those used by the ancient Egyptians in order to preserve or restore order to their given societies.
Studies in Emotions and Power in the Late Roman World: Papers in honour of Ron Newbold Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 219
ISBN: 9781617199141
Pub Date: 21 Sep 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Gorgias Précis Portfolios
Description:
This book is a collection of papers dealing with different approaches to research of issues of power and emotions in the Roman Imperial and Late Antique world, from Marcus Aurelius to Queen Brunhild of Austrasia.
History of Rome (vol 1) Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 633
ISBN: 9781617192227
Pub Date: 15 Sep 2010
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
This four-volume set by the Nobel Prize-winning historian Theodor Mommsen presents a comprehensive history of the Roman Empire. Mommsen's magisterial synthesis of the history of Rome, culminating with Julius Caesar, is equally notable for its systematic use of epigraphic, literary, and archaeological evidence, its brilliant style, and its firm affection for the cause of Julius Caesar. This Gorgias Press reprint of the 1869–1874 New York edition will be a valuable library addition for classics scholars and history enthusiasts.