Tatian the Syrian: Apologist, Ascetic, and Creator of the Diatessaron
Fri, Aug 21
|Zoom - 11:00 AM - CT
atian the Syrian, who lived approximately AD 120–180, was one of the earliest Christian writers to emerge from the Syriac or Mesopotamian world. He was a gifted apologist, a student of Justin Martyr, and the creator of the Diatessaron—the first great harmony of the four canonical Gospels.
Time & Location
Aug 21, 2026, 11:00 AM – 11:55 AM CDT
Zoom - 11:00 AM - CT
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About the event
Tatian’s Syrian Background
Tatian tells us that he was born “in the land of the Assyrians.” The geographical meaning is not entirely precise, but it probably indicates the region of Syria or Mesopotamia east of the Roman Mediterranean centers.
He belonged to a cultural world in which Greek and Aramaic traditions met one another. Greek was the language of philosophy, education, and imperial culture, while various Aramaic dialects were spoken throughout Syria and Mesopotamia.