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Nisibis had a Christian bishop from 300 CE, founded by BabuIn Egyptian mythology, Babu is an alternate spelling for Beb, which see for more details. In British India, Babu came to mean a native Indian clerk. The word was used as a term of respect attached to a proper name, like "Master" or "Mr. and Babuji was use (died 309). War was begun again by Shapur II in 337, who besieged the city in 338, 346 and 350, when James, Babu's successor, was its bishop. Ephraim remained at Nisibis till its surrender to the Persians by JovianJovian as an adjective (from Latin Jovis means "related or pertaining to Jupiter" — either the planet or the Roman god. Jovian (c. 332 February 17, 364) was also a soldier elected Roman Emperor by the army on June 26, 363 upon the death of Julian. The lat in 363.

Later, the bishop of Nisibis was the ecclesiastic metropolitan of the Province of Beit-Arbaye. In 410 it had six suffragan sees and as early as the middle of the 5h century was the most important episcopal see of the Persian Church after Seleucia-Ctesiphon, and many of its Nestorian or Jacobite bishops were renowned for their writings: Barsumas, Osee, Narses, Jesusyab, Ebed-Jesus.

The first theological school of Nisibis, founded at the introduction of Christianity into the city, was closed when the province was ceded to the Persians. Ephraim the SyrianEphraim the Syrian (also spelled "Ephrem" or "Ephraem", and sometimes suffixed "of Edessa") (c. 306 June 10 373) was a Christian deacon, monk and hymn writer. He was born in Nisibis, a town in Mesopotamia. It is said that he accompanied his bishop to the, a poet, commentator, preacher and defender of orthodoxy, joined the general exodus of Christians and reestablished the school on more securely Roman soil at EdessaEdessa may be one of the following: A small town in modern-day Macedonia, Greece: see Edessa, Greece The historical name of a city in northern Mesopotamia, now Sanli Urfa, Turkey: see Edessa, Mesopotamia.. In the 5th century the school became a center of Nestorian Christianity, and was closed down by Archbishop Cyrus in 489; the expelled masters and pupils withdrew once more to Nisibis, under the care of Barsumas, who had been trained at Edessa, under the patronage of Narses, who established the statutes of the new school. Those which have been discovered and published belong to Osee, the successor of Barsumas in the See of Nisibis, and bear the date 496; they must be substantially the same as those of 489. In 590 they were again modified. The monastery school was under a superior called Rabban ("master"), a title also given to the instructors. The administration was confided to a majordomo, who was steward, prefect of discipline, and librarian, but under the supervision of a council. Unlike the Jacobite schools, devoted chiefly to profane studies, the school of Nisibis was above all a school of theology. The two chief masters were the instructors in reading and in the interpretation of Holy Scripture, explained chiefly with the aid of Theodore of MopsuestiaTheodore (c. 350 428), was bishop of Mopsuestia ( 392 428). He is also known as Theodore of Antioch, from the place of his birth and presbyterate. He is the best known representative of the middle Antiochene school of hermeneutics. Life and work Theodore. The free course of studies lasted three years, the students providing for their own support. During their sojourn at the university, masters and students led a monastic life under somewhat special conditions. The school had a tribunal and enjoyed the right of acquiring all sorts of property. Its rich library possessed a most beautiful collection of Nestorian works; from its remains Ebed-Jesus, Bishop of Nisibis in the 14th century, composed his celebrated catalogue of ecclesiastical writers. The disorders and dissensions, which arose in the sixth century in the school of Nisibis, favoured the development of its rivals, especially that of Seleucia; however, it did not really begin to decline until after the foundation of the School of BaghdadCapitals in Asia Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and the Baghdad Province. It is the second largest city in Southwest Asia after Tehran, with the 2003 population estimated at 5,772,000. Situated on the Tigris River at 33°20 north and 44°26 east, the city w (832). Among its literary celebrities mention should be made of its founder Narses; Abraham, his nephew and successor; Abraham of Kashgar, the restorer of monastic life; John; Babai the Elder.