John bar Penkaye

John bar Penkaje was a living in the 7th century monk of the East Syrian Church of the East.

John came from Pěnek on the Tigris. He wrote, among other things, " a strange, between world history and theologically oriented philosophy of history in the middle holding work in 15 books " ( Anton Baumstark junior). This chronicle is called Ktābā d -RES Melle ( "Book of the main points ") of it are only some extracts:

• Books I-IX unpublished
• Books X -XV: A. Mingana: Sources syriaques, Vol 2 Mosul 1908.

His writings provide an eyewitness account of the Arab conquests of his time. These are interpreted by him as a punishment from God for the Christians who had deviated from the correct faith. The work appears to have been written by the late 7th century ( according to Robert G. Hoyland about 687 ).