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ArameansThe Greek Origin Of "Syriac"
"It was, in fact, the Greeks who coined the name ‘Phoenicia’ and gave currency to the concept. Just as they named the Aramaeans ‘Assyrians’ (and then shortened it to Syrians), because they were the subjects of the Assyrian empire nearest and best known to them, so they appear to have translated the name Canaanite by ‘Phoenician’, and then restricted it to those Canaanites most familiar to them."
The Greeks initially referred to all the subjects of the Assyrian Empire as "Syrians" without considering their ethnicity. Over time, this name became associated specifically with the northwestern Semitic regions, equating ‘Syrians’ with ‘Arameans’.
The Greeks initially referred to all the subjects of the Assyrian Empire as "Syrians" without considering their ethnicity. Over time, this name became associated specifically with the northwestern Semitic regions, equating ‘Syrians’ with ‘Arameans’.