We study compactifications of the 6d E-string theory, the theory of a small E_8 instanton, to four dimensions. In

particular we identify N=1 field theories in four dimensions corresponding to compactifications on arbitrary

Riemann surfaces with punctures and with arbitrary non-abelian flat connections as well as fluxes for the abelian

sub-groups of the E_8 flavor symmetry. This sheds light on emergent symmetries in a number of 4d N=1 SCFTs

(including the `E7 surprise' theory) as well as leads to new predictions for a large number of 4-dimensional

exceptional dualities and symmetries.