The School of Edessa (Syriac: ܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܕܐܘܪܗܝ), often mistaken to be one and the same as the School of Nisibis, was a theological school of great importance to the Syriac speaking world. It had been founded as long ago as the 2nd century by the kings of the Abgar dynasty. In 363 Nisibis fell to the Persians, causing St. Ephrem, accompanied by a number of teachers, to leave the School of Nisibis. They went to Edessa, where St. Ephrem took over the directorship of its school. When St. Ephrem took over the school, its importance grew still further. There were innumerable monasteries at Edessa housing many monks and offering many cells for their abode. St. Ephrem occupied a cell there, practicing the ascetic life, interpreting Holy Scripture, composing poetry and hymns and teaching in the school, as well as instructing young girls in church music.
In 489, after the Nestorian Schism, the Byzantine emperor Zeno ordered the school summarily closed for its teachings of Nestorian doctrine, whereupon the scholars moved back to the School of Nisibis.
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“True it is that she who escapeth safe and unpolluted from out the school of freedom, giveth more confidence of herself than she who cometh sound out of the school of severity and restraint.”
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)