On Epistles 34-36

Bcheiry Table 2 is correct to assign #34 and #36 together, as episcopal letters concerning the same events. The summary has these as "XXXII" on up.

#34 to Catholicos Ishoyahb II is the dash-off message saying "hey, I'm getting your letters now"; #36 - to Alaha-zekha - details how the bishop has been doing, which was poorly. He even risked his seat for awhile - #25 may belong to that most hazardous time [UPDATE 2/12] more so, I propose, #15.

This many years after the Persian War the northern Iraq may retain some general anarchy, but I am not reading such in the correspondence - yet. Our bishop instead has enemies, who aren't (yet!) named "heretics". #36 details who they are instead: defectors. Sahdona is a candidate but his shift seems late (and far north of here); #44 sketches a more-general turmoil, in which Christians are independently composing their own responses to the challenges against orthodoxy, none of which impresses Ishoyahb. The #34-6 events must start with the exile of #15; they may further be involved in that unrest at Izla UPDATE 6:30 PM MST - oh boy, and Alfâf might be worse, if #26 is for real... Luckily our bishop also has friends, like one more Iso'yahb named "the teacher".

The defectors, and not tayyayé nor other bandits, are whom Iso'yahb-the-Bishop implies have done this. The couriers are not prey; they are, themselves, not to be trusted. To the extent Seleucia's letters were still going to Nineveh they were not getting to the exiled cleric.

For whatever reason Iso'yahb hasn't called upon Yazdnan; and he didn't dare Izla. I note there exists a #35 to one local Hormizd, a thank-you note for that Hormizd having our man's back. This is likely the childhood friend rather petulantly addressed in #7. #35's content is not much worth our time (and I disagree with the summary's interpretation); Duval assigned it to about the same group. I'd suggest Hormizd from #35 as he who offered sanctuary.

Unsure if this is the Rabban Hormizd (#88) who was joined by monks from that lunatic asylum Bet-'Abe / Beth-'Abha (Hoyland, 190; Bcheiry, 96f). Hoyland's n. 58 claims Majdal, 55 (f. 172) but he's got the wrong Hormizd/an so the wrong Isho'yahb (al-Arzuni): see the Latin. Sirt #99 looks better for this one: Isho'yahb "metropolitan of Mosul" ordained him priest, and he baptised many Ninevites.

FIEY 4/15/23: E. XXXIV is footnoted ch. IV, p. 329 in French, only to illustrate letter-banditry. XXXV and XXXVI are in flashback ch. II p. 312.