[German Version]

The Liber graduum or Book of Steps is a Syriac collection of 30 discourses by an anonymous author simply described as “blessed.” The author probably lived in the Persian sphere of influence in the border area between the Roman and Persian empires (Fitschen). The most likely date is the first half of the 4th century, since the last discourse refers to the persecution of Christians that broke out in 339 under Shāpūr II (Iran: IV, 3). The book represents the radical schools of early Syriac asceticism, but is not of Messalian origin. Its major theme is the return of t…