"The sons of Shem, five in number, each individually begot single nations. Of whom the first was Elam, from whom the Elamites, princes of Persia: the second Assur, from whom the empire of the Assyrians burgeoned: the third Arphaxad, from whom the race of the Chaldaeans arose: the fourth Lud, from whom the Lydians: the fifth Aram, from whom the Syrians, whose metropolis was Damascus."