John of Edessa was one of the most important early leaders of the non-Chalcedonian tradition of Syriac Christianity. His leadership was crucial in the formative years of a distinctive miaphysite Christianity. John is perhaps most well known for his Ecclesiastical History that recounts the history of the church through the first six centuries. This work is notable as the first work of church history written in the Syriac language. In the present volume, J. P. N. Land presents a comprehensive study of John of Edessa, including an overview of his life, his place within the history of Syriac literature, and his approach to recording history.