Barshabba,[a] whose name means "son of the deportation",[1] was the first recorded East Syriac bishop of Merv.
[2] Barshabba, or at least his name, lies at the root of an elaborate legend about the introduction of Christianity to eastern Iran and central Asia.
[1] In the legend, Barshabba was a descendant of Christians deported by Shapur I (r. 240–270) from Roman Syria to Iran.
To get her away from Barshabba's influence, Shapur sent Shirran to the oasis city of Merv and ordered her to marry the local marzban, Shirvan.
In the Sogdian version, he is credited with founding monasteries in Fars, Gorgan, Tus, Abarshahr, Sarakhs, Marw al-Rudh, Balkh, Herat and Sistan.