Before and After Muhammad The First Millennium Refocused

A NEW PERIODIZATION | 59

MANICHEISM ISLAM R O M A N L AW MAZDAISM

EXEGETICAL
c. 150 Gaius, jurist,
author of Institutes, an
influential textbook.

PROPHETIC SCRIPTURAL
216–76/77 Mani—
unlike other found-
ers—writes own scrip-
tures and intends them
to be definitive.

Severan jurists:

fl. c. 210 Paul.

212 Death of

Papinian.

223 Death of Ulpian.

224–651 Sasanian

d yna st y.

SCRIPTURAL-
EXEGETICAL
Mani’s writings passed
through successive ac-
culturated versions in
a range of languages
from Latin to Chinese,
whose discreet devel-
opment of the original
teaching represents, to
a limited extent, an
exegetical phase.

c. 240–72 Shapur I,

traditionally credited

with having Mazdeans’

oral scripture, the

Avesta, written down.

This is more probably

to be dated in the sixth

c entur y.

302 Diocletian’s re-
script against
Manicheans.

292 Gregorian Code.

295 Hermogenian

Code.