When did people start to call the eastern part of Mediterrania as "Syria"? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

When did people start to call the eastern part of Mediterrania as "Syria"?

by xaliber

Additional question: when did people consider themselves as a "Syrian" (much like people consider themselves an "Arab")?

Searocksandtrees

hi! not sure how directly this discussion on Assyrians/Syrians may answer your questions, but you may find it of interest

If there are still people who identify their ethnicity as Assyrian, are there also still Babylonians or other Ancient Mesopotamian ethnic groups today? If not, why did Assyrians survive but not others? Are they really Assyrian?