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.
The Law Code of Simeon, Bishop of Rev-Ardashir Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 104
ISBN: 9781463241346
Pub Date: 13 Dec 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
The Law Code of Simeon of Rev-Ardashir, originally written in Persian, was translated into Syriac by a monk of Bēṭ-Qatrāyē. The Code's author, possibly to be identified with a rebellious metropolitan mentioned in the letters of Patriarch Īšoʿ-yahb III, aims to clarify theoretical scriptural law, and to address specific cases of inheritance law.
An Early Christian Reaction to Islam Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 205
ISBN: 9781463240981
Pub Date: 19 Nov 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies
Description:
The year 652 marked a fundamental political change in the Middle East and the surrounding region. An important and contemporary source of the state of the Christian Church at this time is to be found in the correspondence of the patriarch of the Church of the East, Išū‘yahb III (649–659), which he wrote between 628 and 658. This books discusses Išū‘yahb’s view of and attitudes toward the Muslim Arabs.
Journal of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies 19 Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 88
ISBN: 9781463241117
Pub Date: 10 Nov 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Journal of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies
Description:
JCSSS is a refereed journal published annually by the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies Inc. (CSSS), located at the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. JCSSS contains the transcripts of public lectures presented at the CSSS and possibly other articles and book reviews.
Rewriting Islamic Law Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 241
ISBN: 9781463239084
Pub Date: 30 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
This book explores the process, effects, and results of codification of Egyptian personal status laws as seen through the eyes of the ‘ulamā’. The codification process began in the mid-1800s and continued until the abolishment of the Sharī‘a courts in 1955 with the absorption of personal status statutes into the newly drafted civil code and the national courts that administered them.
Rest in Mesopotamian and Israelite Literature Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 329
ISBN: 9781463207090
Pub Date: 29 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Perspectives on Hebrew Scriptures and its Contexts
Description:
Rest in Mesopotamian and Israelite Literature studies the concept of rest in the Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern literature. Through close examination of Mesopotamian texts and selections from the Deuteronomistic History and Chronicles, Kim delineates a concept of rest for each body of literature, and employs a comparative approach to illuminate the rest motif in the Hebrew Bible in light of Mesopotamian literature.
Jacob of Sarug’s Homilies on the Six Days of Creation: The Fifth Day Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 68
ISBN: 9781463241179
Pub Date: 22 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
In this fifth installment of the long Homily 71, On the Six Days of Creation, Jacob treats of the events of the fifth day, the creation from the waters of the various species of fish and reptiles, as well as the assorted types of birds and other winged creatures. God created them all in wisdom and in love, prepared everything that they would need and endowed them with the natural characteristics required for their particular type of life. Jacob highlights the fact that the creation of these animals on the fifth day to inhabit the land and water separated on the third day is a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ.
Second Slayings Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 251
ISBN: 9781463240264
Pub Date: 22 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
This work is a study of Jewish cultural memory as exemplified by rabbinic midrash of the Amoraic period, the second through fifth centuries of the Common Era, and especially midrash on the Akedah, the Binding of Isaac (Gen. 22:1–19). The Akedah is proposed and analyzed as a model for submission to the divine will through the act of interpretation.
The Syriac and Arabic Lexicon of Hasan Bar Bahlul (He-Mim) Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 307
ISBN: 9781463241032
Pub Date: 22 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
Beth Qaṭraye was an important cultural, linguistic and religious crossroads in the pre- and early Islamic periods. In this reissue of a facsimile edition of Duval’s edition of Bar Bahlul’s lexicon, Duval’s Latin introductory material has been translated into English by Samuel Barry.
The Syriac and Arabic Lexicon of Hasan Bar Bahlul (Nun-Taw) Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 450
ISBN: 9781463241131
Pub Date: 22 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
Beth Qaṭraye was an important cultural, linguistic and religious crossroads in the pre- and early Islamic periods. In this reissue of a facsimile edition of Duval’s edition of Bar Bahlul’s lexicon, Duval’s Latin introductory material has been translated into English by Samuel Barry.
The Syriac and Arabic Lexicon of Hasan Bar Bahlul (Olaph-Dolath) Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 396
ISBN: 9781463241018
Pub Date: 22 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
Beth Qaṭraye was an important cultural, linguistic and religious crossroads in the pre- and early Islamic periods. In this reissue of a facsimile edition of Duval’s edition of Bar Bahlul’s lexicon, Duval’s Latin introductory material has been translated into English by Samuel Barry.
Gender in Jewish Studies Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 164
ISBN: 9781463240561
Pub Date: 17 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Melilah: Manchester Journal of Jewish Studies (1759-1953)
Description:
Volume 13 of Melilah, an interdisciplinary electronic journal concerned with Jewish law, history, literature, religion, culture and thought in the ancient, medieval and modern eras.
Against “Irenaean” Theodicy Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 213
ISBN: 9781463240714
Pub Date: 09 Oct 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
This book serves to correct the now accepted understanding of Irenaeus’s theodicy. This assumption of Hick’s theodicy as legitimately “Irenaean” remains due the gulf between Irenaean scholarship and discussion of the problem of evil. The present work offers a bridge between the two to allow for the continued discussion of both theologian’s distinct views.
"And From His Side Came Blood and Milk" Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 379
ISBN: 9781463239169
Pub Date: 30 Sep 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies
Description:
This book examines the function and development of the cult of saints in Coptic Egypt, focusing primarily on the material provided by the texts forming the Coptic hagiographical tradition of the early Christian martyr Philotheus of Antioch, and more specifically, the Martyrdom of St Philotheus of Antioch (Pierpont Morgan M583). This Martyrdom is a reflection of a once flourishing cult which is attested in Egypt by rich textual and material evidence. This text enjoyed great popularity not only in Egypt, but also in other countries of the Christian East, since his dossier includes texts in Coptic, Georgian, Ethiopic, and Arabic.
The Material Origin of Numbers Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 310
ISBN: 9781463207434
Pub Date: 25 Sep 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
The Material Origin of Numbers examines how number concepts are realized, represented, manipulated, and elaborated. Utilizing the cognitive archaeological framework of Material Engagement Theory and culling data from disciplines including neuroscience, ethnography, linguistics, and archaeology, Overmann offers a methodologically rich study of numbers and number concepts in the ancient Near East from the late Upper Paleolithic Period through the Bronze Age.
1 & 2 Chronicles According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation Cover
Format: Hardback
Pages: 300
ISBN: 9781463205713
Pub Date: 19 Sep 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Series: Surath Kthob
Description:
This volume is part of a series of English translations of the Syriac Peshitta along with the Syriac text carried out by an international team of scholars. R. Gordon has translated the text, while Kiraz has prepared the Syriac text in the west Syriac script, fully vocalized and pointed.
Classical Syriac Cover
Format: Paperback
Pages: 399
ISBN: 9781463239794
Pub Date: 19 Sep 2019
Imprint: Gorgias Press
Description:
A grammar of Classical Syriac. An introductory course of eight lessons presents the Syriac phonology and script, followed by the basic course of 40 lessons. The book is designed to cover one academic year.