Arameans
The Arameans were a group of ancient peoples primarily associated with the use of the Aramaic language, a West Semitic language that shares roots with Hebrew. Historically, the Arameans first appear in records from the 11th century BCE, with their origins debated among historians. Some suggest they were pastoral nomads from the Syrian desert, while others propose they are descendants of earlier populations like the Amorites. Rather than establishing a cohesive empire, the Arameans formed various local states often centered around cities. Their interactions with neighboring powers, particularly the Assyrians and Israelites, were frequently marked by conflict, with significant figures like Tiglath-pileser I and Tiglath-pileser III playing roles in the geopolitical dynamics of the era. The Arameans also contributed to the religious landscape of the region, worshiping deities that were influenced by Canaanite traditions. Over time, Aramaic became a dominant language across much of the ancient Middle East, even serving as the lingua franca of the region. The legacy of the Arameans endures, particularly in their linguistic and cultural influences, including their significant role in the development of early Christianity.
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Subject Terms
Arameans
Related civilizations: Assyria, Babylonia, Israel.
Also known as: Aramaeans.
Date: 1100-700 b.c.e.
Locale: The Levant, especially Syria, and Mesopotamia
Arameans
The term Aramean (ar-uh-MEE-uhn) designates members of groups related by their use of the Aramaic language. Aramaic is a West Semitic language akin to Hebrew and was used by peoples that inhabited western areas of the ancient Middle East in the first millennium b.c.e., especially Syria and Upper Mesopotamia.
History
Groups designated Aramean made their first appearance in historical documents of the eleventh century b.c.e. The origin of the Arameans remains disputed. Some historians suggest they were pastoral nomads of the Syrian desert fringe who moved into Syria and northern Mesopotamia, eventually extending their influence to southern Mesopotamia as well. Other historians argue the Arameans are continuous with the earlier Amorite and Ahlamu populations of Syria who experienced a resurgence of influence in the late first millennium.
The history of the Arameans is difficult to establish because there are only a few indigenous records, consisting almost entirely of inscriptions. Most information about the Arameans comes from Assyrian historical documents and the Hebrew Bible. From these records, it appears the Arameans never established an empire, instead existing as local states dominated by one or more cities, and some tribes.
Most documentary references to the Arameans are in the context of conflict with the Assyrians or the Israelites. Tiglath-pileser I (r. c. 1115-c. 1077 b.c.e.) recorded his struggles with the Arameans in the upper Euphrates region, who were penetrating Assyrian territories and seizing cities. Aramean power was checked by Assyrian rulers toward the end of the tenth century b.c.e., until Tiglath-pileser III (r. 745-727 b.c.e.) finally dominated the Aramean city-states and incorporated them into Assyrian provinces.
Jewish history has multiple points of Aramean contact. The patriarch Jacob was termed “a wandering Aramean” (Deuteronomy 26:5), and his wives Rachel and Leah and father-in-law Laban were Aramean. When both the Arameans and Israelites expanded into Transjordan beginning in the eleventh century b.c.e., they eventually came into conflict. David of Israel (c. 1030-c. 962 b.c.e.) achieved victory over Hadadezer of Aram, bringing parts of Syria under his influence. The rise of the Aramean state of Aram-Damascus during David’s son Solomon’s reign began two centuries of intermittent warfare between Aram and the state of Israel, now separated from Judah. Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria put an end to Aram in 732 and Israel in 721 b.c.e.
Language
Early Aramaic is attested only by a few inscriptions on stone. However, its later forms came to dominate Mesopotamia for most of the first millennium b.c.e., to the extent that it became the lingua franca of the ancient Middle East. Aramaic, as attested by surviving writings, was widely used in Babylonia, Persia, Egypt, Palestine, and Asia Minor. It displaced Hebrew as the language of the Jewish community, and portions of the books of Daniel and Ezra of the Hebrew Bible are written in it. The Syriac dialect of Aramaic was used extensively by eastern Christian churches during the Roman and Byzantine periods.
Religion
The early Aramaic inscriptions make reference to deities widely honored in Canaanite religion, indicating that Aramean religion was shaped by its broader surroundings. Equivalent to Canaanite Baal, the Aramean storm-fertility god Hadad was typically the head of an Aramean city-state’s pantheon. Other significant deities include the Moon god Sin, the patron god of dynasty Rakib-el, and the Sun god Shamash.
Bibliography
Greenfield, Jonas C. “Aspects of Aramean Religion.” In Ancient Israelite Religion: Essays in Honor of Frank Moore Cross, edited by Patrick D. Miller, Jr., et al. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987.
Pitard, Wayne T. “The Arameans.” In Peoples of the Old Testament World, edited by Alfred J. Hoerth et al. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1994.