 Both the episcopal theory and the law school theory, however, are at best guesses; the original purpose of the work is unknown.The Syro-Roman law book in its Syriac version had been introduced to Iraq (which had not been part of the Roman Empire, but rather the Sasanian Empire) by the middle of the 8th century.It was accepted as "the pure laws of Christianity" by Patriarch Timothy I (died 823) of the Church of the East.