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Aramaic

Semitic Languages

A Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and spread across Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, the Caucasus and eastern Arabia, where it has been written and spoken in different varieties for more than three thousand years. It served as a language of public life and administration under the Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian and Achaemenid empires, and became a language of worship and religious study in Christianity and Gnosticism and, to a limited degree, in Judaism, where Hebrew remains primary. Modern varieties survive: an eastern branch spoken by Assyrians, Mandeans and a small group of Mizrahi Jews, and Western Aramaic in the Syrian towns of Maaloula, Bakh'a and Jubb'adin. Classical varieties remain liturgical and literary languages in several West Asian churches.

Facts
Attested From (Year)
from 1100 BCE 1
Connections

In Family

Northwest Semitic, Language Families
Source Aramaic language (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Same As

Aramaic

Also in Divinity Atlas: the same subject.

Cases Where Used

Edicts of Ashoka

Also in History Atlas: used in this subject.

Elephantine Papyri

Also in History Atlas: used in this subject.

Letoon Trilingual

Also in History Atlas: used in this subject.

Sefire Steles

Also in History Atlas: used in this subject.

Tel Dan Stele

Also in History Atlas: used in this subject.

Found In

Anatolia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Aramaic language (Wikipedia)Lead
Quote, Lead
Aramaic is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written and spoken in different varieties for over 3,000 years.
Mesopotamia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Aramaic language (Wikipedia)Lead
Quote, Lead
Aramaic is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written and spoken in different varieties for over 3,000 years.
Syria

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Aramaic language (Wikipedia)Lead
Quote, Lead
Aramaic is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written and spoken in different varieties for over 3,000 years.
Sources
1. Aramaic language (Wikipedia)
  • Lead section
    Early Aramaic inscriptions date from the 11th century BC, placing it among the earliest languages to be written down.
  • In Family: Northwest Semitic, Lead
    Aramaic is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written and spoken in different varieties for over 3,000 years.
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