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.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 199
ISBN: 9781593339975
Pub Date: 13 Nov 2008
Series: Kiraz Historical Grammars Archive
Description:
Based on years of personal experience in India, Joseph Peet’s grammar of Malayalam was the first attempt by a western scholar to document the language. Set out like a classical grammar of the period, Peet begins with an introduction to the language and the orthography. The parts of speech are each treated, followed by an account of the syntax.
One of the official languages of India, Malayalam is spoken by about 37 million individuals, mostly in the state of Kerala in the southern part of the nation. For the historian interested in the history of the study of Malayalam, this grammar is a special find.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 396
ISBN: 9781593333690
Pub Date: 06 Nov 2008
Series: Gorgias Studies in the Ancient Near East
Description:
This book is about attribute mathematics, in which nothing ever gets bigger or smaller. More specifically, it is about some of what attribute mathematics can do toward the full digitalization of thought and language. The matter is relevant not only directly to linguistics and philosophy but also indirectly to electrical engineering and neuroscience.
The twenty-first century will be that of the brain. Human existence will gradually be turned inside out as tools such as genetics and Boolean algebra allow us to see ourselves function on the smallest scale while it is happening.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 95
ISBN: 9781607240532
Pub Date: 28 Oct 2008
Series: Journal of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies
Description:
The JCSSS is an annual refereed journal containing the transcripts of public lectures presented at the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies Inc. It focuses on the literature, art, and archaeology of Syriac Christianity from the 2nd century to modern times. Contributors include Lucas Van Rompay, Craig E.
Morrison, Cor-bishop David Royel, Mary T. Hansbury, Narmen Muhamad Amen Ali, and Khalid Dinno.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 189
ISBN: 9781593339562
Pub Date: 25 Sep 2008
Series: Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies
Description:
The Maronite Library of Aleppo is one of the most important collections of manuscripts in Syria. This catalogue gives the first detailed description of the Syriac manuscripts, also containing images and indices of titles, personal names, subjects and places.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 554
ISBN: 9781593335397
Pub Date: 18 Sep 2008
Series: Christianity in the Islamic World
Description:
In this edition of Cheikho’s literary survey of Arabic literature of the nineteenth century, the reader will find the Arabic original of Cheikho’s fine text. Difficult to locate outside the Middle East, Gorgias Press is now bringing this uncommon find to Arabists in the western world.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 340
ISBN: 9781593330507
Pub Date: 12 Sep 2008
Series: Kiraz Theological Archive
Description:
The first volume of an ambitious project to document the history of the early church, this is one of John Mason Neale’s crowning achievements. Meticulously researched, Neale’s treatment of the early church in Egypt is among the required reading of any student of oriental Christianity still today. Beginning with the traditions of St.
Mark’s foundation of the Egyptian church, the developments of Christianity are traced up through the controversies associated with Nestorius and the Council of Chalcedon. In Neale’s characteristically readable style, the early stages of Eastern Christianity and its noteworthy figures are presented here with historical accuracy and authority. The origins of monasticism, the troubles and triumphs of St. Athanasius, the Arian heresy, and the ecumenical councils are all treated in this important study of the church in Egypt.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 606
ISBN: 9781593335700
Pub Date: 12 Sep 2008
Series: Kiraz Historic Travels Archive
Description:
A nineteenth-century travelogue in a class by itself, Osborn’s account of his travels through the Holy Land is sprinkled with literary, biblical, and scientific observations. This work on the physical geography of the Holy Land remains undiminished despite the years since its publication.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 177
ISBN: 9781593337155
Pub Date: 11 Sep 2008
Series: Publications of the Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church
Description:
Until now this first insider-history of Tur Abdin has been unavailable to non-Semitic readers. Written by Patriarch Ignatius Aphram Barsoum in Syriac, this history of the mountainous region in southeastern Asia Minor called Tur Abdin has not found wide readership because of language barriers. This new edition produced by Gorgias Press is a trilingual edition: the original Syriac, Arabic, and English translations.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 52
ISBN: 9781593337377
Pub Date: 11 Sep 2008
Description:
This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homily for Palm Sunday discusses Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The homily admonishes the hearers to perceive the benevolence of the divine self-abasement and recognize the Mighty One on the humble streets of Jerusalem.
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.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 81
ISBN: 9781593339357
Pub Date: 11 Sep 2008
Description:
This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homilies on the Resurrection contrast the Friday of sufferings and the Sunday of resurrection. At the resurrection heaven and earth become reconciled, Sheol is uprooted, and the tomb of the Bridegroom becomes the bridal chamber.
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.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 82
ISBN: 9781593337360
Pub Date: 11 Sep 2008
Description:
This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homily on Epiphany discusses John the Baptist's role in washing the church, the bride of Christ, preparing and sanctifying her for the Bridegroom. 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.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 248
ISBN: 9781593337889
Pub Date: 11 Sep 2008
Series: Publications of the Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church
Description:
Located north of Mosul, St. Matthew’s Monastery—commonly known as Dayr Sheikh Matti—is perhaps the most ancient religious institution in Iraq. Although the Syriac life story of St.
Matthew was published together with that of St. Behnam by Paul Bedjan in 1891, and translated into Arabic by Elias Behnam, this present account is more extensive and informative. It includes in-depth physical and spiritual descriptions of the monastery as an outstanding institution which played a significant role in the history of the Syrian Orthodox Church of the East. Mar Ignatius Jacob III offers insight into the monastery’s learned superiors, metropolitans and magnificent library.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 87
ISBN: 9781593339340
Pub Date: 08 Aug 2008
Description:
This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homily on the Transfiguration emphasizes the unity of the Old and New Testament. Jacob focuses on the symbolism of the apostles Jesus brings with him.
Moses, the head of prophecy, and John, the beauty of apostleship, come together and Elijah and Simon are joined so that the keys Peter received over creation might be ratified. 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.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 48
ISBN: 9781593339722
Pub Date: 15 Jul 2008
Description:
This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homily on the story of Solomon and the two harlots imagines the emotional state of the new king Solomon as he sits on his throne uncertain of his ability to rule and judge. 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.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 205
ISBN: 9781593337339
Pub Date: 03 Jul 2008
Description:
Oppenheim’s foundational study on dreams and their interpretation in the Ancient Near East has long been a standard text for those interested in the role of dreams in the ancient world. With a new introduction by Scott Noegel, this edition presents the complete original study along with its photographs, as well as insights concerning how the book has fared over the past fifty years.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 133
ISBN: 9781593338411
Pub Date: 03 Jul 2008
Description:
This biography of Severus, the patriarch of Antioch from 512-518 CE, attributed to his schoolmate Zachariah of Mytilene, gives unique information about life in Mediterranean region in the second half of the 5th century. These two young men from wealthy families became involved with a Christian movement, the "philoponoi," "those devoted to work" who combined asceticism with theological study. The work, originally in Greek, survives only in Syriac, which this volume presents alongside the first English translation of it.
It is an important source for studies on Ancient Biography, Late Antiquity, and Early Christianity.