Once the basic grammar and vocabulary of a language have been learned, one of the best ways to continue progressing in fluency is to read selections from various authors. Thus, it has long been the practice for those interested in learning other languages to create chrestomathies. The present volume is an Aramaic (Syriac) chrestomathy, comprised primarily of selections from authors of the vast Syriac tradition. The texts included in this volume range from passages in the Bible to patristic authors like Jacob of Edessa and Philoxenus of Mabbug and leaders of the church from Patriarch Timothy I to Elias III. Thus, the reader of this collection of texts is exposed to a broad range of genre and time of composition.