Etymology Majority mainstream scholarly opinion now strongly supports the already dominant position that 'Syrian' and Syriac indeed derived from 'Assyrian', and the 21st-century discovery of the  Çineköy inscription  seems to clearly confirm that Syria is ultimately derived from the Assyrian term Aššūrāyu.  The question was addressed from the Early Classical period through to the Renaissance Era by the likes of Herodotus, Strabo, Justinus, Michael the Syrian and John Selden, with each of these stating that Syrian/Syriac was synonymous and derivative of Assyrian. Acknowledgments being made as early as the 5th century BC in the Hellenistic world that the Indo-European term Syrian was a derived from the much earlier Assyrian. Various theories have been advanced as to the etymological connections between the two terms. Some scholars suggest that the term Assyria included a definite article, similar to the function of the Arabic language "Al-".A New Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology and Geography, Sir William Smith, Charles Anthon, Harper & Brothers, 1862 "Even when the name of Syria is used in its ordinary narrower sense, it is often confounded with Assyria, which only differs from Syria by having the definite article prefixed." Theodor Nöldeke in 1871 gave philological support to the assumption that Syria and Assyria have the same etymology, a suggestion going back to John Selden (1617) rooted in his own Hebrew tradition about the descent of Assyrians from Jokshan. Majority and mainstream current academic opinion strongly favours that Syria originates from Assyria. A hieroglyphic Luwian and Phoenician bilingual monumental inscription found in Çineköy, Turkey, (the Çineköy inscription) belonging to Urikki, vassal king of Que (i.e. Cilicia), dating to the eighth century BC, reference is made to the relationship between his kingdom and his Assyrian overlords. The Luwian inscription reads whereas the Phoenician translation reads , i.e.  , which according to Rollinger (2006) "settles the problem once and for all". The Greek name appears to correspond to Phoenician "Assur", "Assyrians", recorded in the 8th-century BC Çineköy inscription. Writing in the 5th century BC, Herodotus stated that those called Syrians by the Greeks were called Assyrians by themselves and in the East. (Pipes 1992), s:History of Herodotus/Book 7 In Greek usage, Syria and Assyria were used almost interchangeably in reference to Assyria, although Herodotusdistinguished between the names Syria and Assyria , and for him, Syrians are the inhabitants of the Levant . Randolph Helm emphasised that Herodotus never applied the term Syria on the Mesopotamian region of Assyria which he always called "Assyria". In the Roman Empire, Syriaand Assyria came to be used as distinct geographical terms . "Syria" in the Roman Empire period referred to those parts of the Empire situated between Asia Minor and Egypt, i.e. the western Levant, while "Assyria" in northern Iraq, southeast Turkey and northeast Syria was part of the Persian Empire as Athura, and only very briefly came under Roman control (116–118 AD, marking the historical peak of Roman expansion), where it was known as Assyria Provincia. See also Syria (region) Greater Syria Names of Syriac Christians Çineköy inscription Names of the Levant Name of India
Etymology Majority of modern scholars strongly support the already dominant position that 'Syrian' and Syriac indeed derived from 'Assyrian', and the recent (1997) discovery of the bilingual Çineköy inscription from the 8th century BCE, written in Luwian and Phoenician languages, seems to clearly confirm that Syria is ultimately derived from the Assyrian term Aššūrāyu. Noting the scholarly consensus on questions related to interpretation of terms Syria/Assyria in the Çineköy inscription, some researchers have also analyzed some similar terms, that appear in other contemporary inscriptions, suggesting some additional interpretations. The question was addressed from the Early Classical period through to the Renaissance Era by the likes of Herodotus, Strabo, Justinus, Michael the Syrian and John Selden, with each of these stating that Syrian/Syriac was synonymous and derivative of Assyrian. Acknowledgments being made as early as the 5th century BC in the Hellenistic world that the Indo-European term Syrian was a derived from the much earlier Assyrian. Various theories have been advanced as to the etymological connections between the two terms. Some scholars suggest that the term Assyria included a definite article, similar to the function of the Arabic language "Al-".A New Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology and Geography, Sir William Smith, Charles Anthon, Harper & Brothers, 1862 "Even when the name of Syria is used in its ordinary narrower sense, it is often confounded with Assyria, which only differs from Syria by having the definite article prefixed." Theodor Nöldeke in 1871 gave philological support to the assumption that Syria and Assyria have the same etymology, a suggestion going back to John Selden (1617) rooted in his own Hebrew tradition about the descent of Assyrians from Jokshan. Majority and mainstream current academic opinion strongly favours that Syria originates from Assyria. A hieroglyphic Luwian and Phoenician bilingual monumental inscription found in Çineköy, Turkey, (the Çineköy inscription) belonging to Urikki, vassal king of Que (i.e. Cilicia), dating to the eighth century BC, reference is made to the relationship between his kingdom and his Assyrian overlords. The Luwian inscription reads whereas the Phoenician translation reads , i.e. "Assur", and also mentions "Assyrians" , which according to Rollinger "settles the problem once and for all". Historical use of the term Syria can be divided in three periods. First period, attested from the 8th century BCE, reflects the original Luwian use of the term Syria as synonym for Assyria. Such use was recorded in the bilingual (Luwian-Phoenician) Çineköy inscription. Through contacts with Luwians and Phoenicians, ancient Greeks also learned both variants (Syria/Assyria), used as synonyms, but later started to introduce some distinctions, thus marking the beginning of the second (transitional) period, attested by the works of Greek historian Herodotus ( 5th century BCE). Some instances in his writings reflect the original (synonymous) use of Syrian and Assyrian designations, when used for the people. Herodotus explicitly stated that those called Syrians by the Greeks were called Assyrians by the non-Greeks, (Pipes 1992), s:History of Herodotus/Book 7 On the other side, he stated that Syrians were called Cappadocians, by Persians.(Pipes 1992), s:History of Herodotus/Book 7 Herodotus also introduced some distinctions regarding the territorial scope of terms Syria and Assyria . Randolph Helm emphasized that Herodotus never applied the term Syria on the Mesopotamian region of Assyria which he always called "Assyria". Third period was marked by definite territorialization of the term Syria, as distinctive from Assyria. That process was finalized already during the Seleucid era (312-64 BCE), when Hellenistic (Greek) notions were applied in the region, and specific terms like Coele Syria were introduced, corresponding to western regions (ancient Aram), unrelated to ancient Assyria. Such distinctions were later inherited the Romans, who created the province of Syria, for regions western of Euphrates, while Assyria represented a distinctive geographical term, related to ancient Assyrian regions in eastern Mesopotamia. In the Roman Empire , "Syria" in its broadest sense referred to lands situated between Asia Minor and Egypt, i.e. the western Levant, while "Assyria" was part of the Persian Empire as Athura, and only very briefly came under Roman control (116–118 AD, marking the historical peak of Roman expansion), where it was known as Assyria Provincia. See also 
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mainstream scholarly opinion now strongly supports
of modern scholars strongly support
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21st-century
recent (1997)
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bilingual
A
from the 8th century BCE, written in Luwian and Phoenician languages,
A
Noting the scholarly consensus on questions related to interpretation of terms Syria/Assyria in the Çineköy inscription, some researchers have also analyzed some similar terms, that appear in other contemporary inscriptions, suggesting some additional interpretations.
A
"Assur", and also mentions "Assyrians"
D
(2006)
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The Greek name appears to correspond to Phoenician "Assur", "Assyrians",
Historical use of the term Syria can be divided in three periods. First period, attested from the 8th century BCE, reflects the original Luwian use of the term Syria as synonym for Assyria. Such use was
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8th-century BC
bilingual (Luwian-Phoenician)
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Writing in the
Through contacts with Luwians and Phoenicians, ancient Greeks also learned both variants (Syria/Assyria), used as synonyms, but later started to introduce some distinctions, thus marking the beginning of the second (transitional) period, attested by the works of Greek historian Herodotus (
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BC, Herodotus
BCE). Some instances in his writings reflect the original (synonymous) use of Syrian and Assyrian designations, when used for the people. Herodotus explicitly
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themselves and in the East.
the non-Greeks,
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In Greek usage, Syria and Assyria were used almost interchangeably in reference to Assyria, although Herodotusdistinguished between the names
On the other side, he stated that Syrians were called Cappadocians, by Persians.(Pipes 1992), s:History of Herodotus/Book 7 Herodotus also introduced some distinctions regarding the territorial scope of terms
D
, and for him, Syrians are the inhabitants of the Levant
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emphasised
emphasized
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In the Roman Empire, Syriaand Assyria came to be used as distinct geographical terms . "Syria" in
Third period was marked by definite territorialization of the term Syria, as distinctive from Assyria. That process was finalized already during the Seleucid era (312-64 BCE), when Hellenistic (Greek) notions were applied in the region, and specific terms like Coele Syria were introduced, corresponding to western regions (ancient Aram), unrelated to ancient Assyria. Such distinctions were later inherited the Romans, who created the province of Syria, for regions western of Euphrates, while Assyria represented a distinctive geographical term, related to ancient Assyrian regions in eastern Mesopotamia. In
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period referred to those parts of the Empire
, "Syria" in its broadest sense referred to lands
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in northern Iraq, southeast Turkey and northeast Syria
D
Syria (region) Greater Syria Names of Syriac Christians Çineköy inscription Names of the Levant Name of India