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Arameans

Berlinische Monatschrift

"Do not the Syriacs, as they are usually called, or the Arameans, as they in fact are termed, deserve more attention in world history than they are usually given?"

"The names Syria, Assyria, Mesopotamia, Babylon, and others stem from the Greeks, who were unfamiliar with the true geography of these lands when the names were first used. Later, partly due to ongoing ignorance and partly for convenience, these names persisted even after more accurate knowledge became available. It would have required considerable effort to abandon the old, familiar names and divisions in favor of new, more accurate ones. The true and original name of these lands is Aram. It is mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament, and Greek scholars were also familiar with it. They likely referred to the people of these regions as Arameans, though this was rare, as they generally continued to use the term Syriac, which had been familiar to them."