James Toma

James Toma is a historian specializing in the medieval period, with his research primarily focusing on socio-legal studies in Abbasid society. He is currently involved in crafting a critical edition and completing an English translation of “The Orders of Judgements” a pivotal ninth-century Syriac lawbook.
He was recently honoured with the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2023-2024) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to historical research and his commitment to advancing knowledge in his field.
His detailed dissertation, “The Development of East Syriac Law and the Judiciary in the Early Medieval Near East” comprises a thorough analysis of the judiciary, divorce and alimony, female inheritance, and legal education throughout the medieval period.
Beyond his specialization in medieval studies, James maintains a wide array of research interests, including the study of the Sassanian Empire, Roman law, Arabic and Syriac chronicles and poetry, and numismatics. His extensive research in these fields has provided valuable insights into their historical significance and role in shaping societies.

Current Supervisor(s)

• Amir Harrak

Dissertation Title

The Development of East Syriac Law and the Judiciary in the Early Medieval Near East

Publications

• “Revisiting the Mongol Invasions of Northern Mesopotamia: A Translation and Analysis of Gewargis Warda’s ‘On Karamlish’.” Forthcoming in Journal of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies no. 23 (2023). (In press, 25 pages)
• "The (Syriac) Gospel of the Twelve." New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures. Volume 3. Edited by Tony Burke. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 12-35.
• “Female Inheritance and Intestate Succession in Rabbincal, East Syriac, and Islamic Legal Traditions” Journal of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies no. 22 (2022), 104-136.
• “The Prologue to Timothy's ‘Orders’ as a Source for Change in East Syrian Law.” Journal of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies no. 21 (2021), 85-97.
• “Gospel of the Twelve Apostles.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed 5 September 2019. http://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/gospel-of-the-twelve....

Presentations

• The Road to Judicature: Tracing the Development of the Early Medieval East Syriac Judge’s Office. Paper presented at the quadrennial meeting of the North American Syriac Symposium, (Yale) Connecticut. (June, 2023).
• Prologues and Epilogues in Legal Literature. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies, Toronto. (November, 2022).

Teaching Experience

• Course Instructor, University of Toronto (St. George Campus), Introduction to the Modern Middle East (NMC278)
• Teaching Assistant, University of Toronto (St. George Campus), The Biblical World (NMC104)