Erbil Vekayinamesi

The Chronicle of Erbil is a Syriac chronicle covering events from late antiquity and the pre-Islamic period. It holds source value for pre-Islamic Kurdish history and the region's religious-social structure.

Content and Style

The events narrated in the work deal with the life stories of clerics who lived approximately between 100-540/51 AD; political, religious, traditional, and even economic information regarding the period these individuals lived in is also elaborated in detail (Volume 1, p. 54). Since the work concludes with an event that occurred around the year 540, it also contains some information regarding the Sasanids during this period, especially concerning the reign of Khosrow I. Its style shows similarities with the martyrologies written about Christian martyrs persecuted during the reign of Sasanian king Shapur II (Volume 1, p. 54).

Sources and Authenticity Debate

Among the sources of the work, it is probable that council documents found in the Library of the Metropolitanate of Erbil were also used (Volume 1, p. 54). However, there are doubts regarding the chronicle being fake or fabricated; indeed, Richard N. Frye is one of those who expressed the view that this chronicle is fabricated (Volume 1, p. 54).

Zoroastrianism and Source Value

The work is valuable for understanding the pre-Islamic period. In many places, it provides details regarding the Zoroastrian beliefs of the people residing primarily in Erbil and settlements along the Great Zab River. This information stands out in terms of accessing details about whether Kurds were Zoroastrian and guiding discussions on this matter (Volume 1, p. 55).