Assyria

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An ancient geographic area in the Middle East, famous for its influential kingdoms, innovations in art and science, and prominent historical figures in early civilization
2. A significant historical region in ancient Mesopotamia, noted for its contributions to literature, law, and urban development, which shaped subsequent cultures
3. A historical area in the Middle East known for its powerful empires and early advancements in culture and governance

Etymology: The name began as a city before it became a land. Assur, on the Tigris in what is now northern Iraq, was the original capital of the Assyrian state, and its name, "Aššūr" in Akkadian, gave rise to "Aššūrāyu," the people and territory of its rulers. The Greeks rendered this as "Assuría," and the Romans adopted it as "Assyria," so the English word is a learned borrowing that passed through Latin rather than arriving through everyday speech. Because Assyria and Syria both descend from the same ancient name, they are doublets: two forms of one word that reached English by different routes. Their spellings differ, yet the two words share a root, so "Syria" and "Assyria" are closer relatives than their modern shapes suggest.

Synonyms: empire, civilization