What was Syria in Bible times?

Ancient Syria was a region referred to often in the Bible. In one well-known account, the apostle Paul cited the “road to Damascus”—the largest city in Syria—as the place where he had visions that led to his Christian conversion. When the Roman Empire fell, Syria became part of the Eastern or Byzantine Empire.

What is the name of ancient Syria?

Assyria
The modern name of Syria is claimed by some scholars to have derived from Herodotus’ habit of referring to the whole of Mesopotamia as ‘Assyria’ and, after the Assyrian Empire fell in 612 BCE, the western part continued to be called ‘Assyria’ until after the Seleucid Empire when it became known as ‘Syria’.

What did the Bible say about Syria?

Damascus, Syria, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. According to Bible prophecy, however, it is destined to become “a ruinous heap,” deserted, and uninhabitable (Isaiah 17).

What is the difference between Syria and Assyria in the Bible?

The difference between Syria and Assyria is that Syria is a modern nation located in West Asia, while the Assyrian was an ancient empire that came into existence around the twenty-third century BC. Assyria was an ancient civilization in the region of Mesopotamia.

When was Syria named?

Etymology. Several sources indicate that the name Syria is derived from the 8th century BC Luwian term “Sura/i”, and the derivative ancient Greek name: Σύριοι, Sýrioi, or Σύροι, Sýroi, both of which originally derived from Aššūrāyu (Assyria) in northern Mesopotamia.

What country is Syria in the Bible?

Aram referred to as Syria & Mesopotamia. Aram (Aramaic: ܐܪܡ‎, romanized: Orom; Hebrew: אֲרָם‎, romanized: Arām), also known as Aramea, was a historical region including several Aramean kingdoms covering much of the present-day Syria, southeastern Turkey, and parts of Lebanon and Iraq.

Who was the king of Syria in the Bible?

Hazael
Hazael, (flourished 9th century bc), king of Damascus, whose history is given at length in the Bible, II Kings 8–13. Hazael became king after the death of Ben-hadad I, under whom he was probably a court official.

What religion were Syrians?

According to CIA World Factbook, 87\% of Syrians are Muslim, the majority being Sunni Muslims (74\%). A further 13\% are Shi’a Muslims, following the Alawite (11\%), Ismaili (1\%) or Twelver Imami (0.5\%) sects.