Beth Nahrain

Beth Nahrain (, ); "between (two) rivers") is the name for the region known as Mesopotamia in the Syriac language. Geographically, it refers to the areas between and surrounding the Euphrates and Tigris rivers (as well as their tributaries). The Aramaic name also refers to the area "around" the rivers, not only literally between the rivers. The area is considered by Assyrians as their homeland.
This area roughly encompasses almost all of present-day Iraq, parts of southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, and, more recently, northeastern Syria. The Assyrians are considered to be indigenous inhabitants of "Beth Nahrain". "Nahrainean" or "Nahrainian" is the Anglicized name for "Nahrāyā" (), which is the Aramaic equivalent of "Mesopotamian".
History.
Etymology.
While it may be thought that the name is calqued from "Mesopotamia" (), the opposite is more probable. The Aramaic name has been attested since the adoption of Old Aramaic as the lingua franca of the Neo Assyrian Empire in the 8th century BCE, but the Greek name "Mesopotamia" was first coined in the 2nd century BCE by the historian Polybius during the Seleucid period. The name "Bayn al-Nahrayn" is also found in Arabic (, "between the two rivers"). Other, less common Classical Syriac variants of the name include Bêṯ Nahrawwāṯā (, "between the rivers") and Meṣʿaṯ Nahrawwāṯā (, "the middle of the rivers").
Modern Culture.
The term "Beth Nahrain" is commonly used by both Eastern and Western Assyrians and acts as a united front for an autonomous Assyrian region. The following is a list of political/military organizations developed using the "Beth Nahrain" name:
People.
The Assyrians (also referred to as Syriacs, Arameans or Chaldeans) view themselves as the native people of Beth Nahrain. They speak different dialects of Neo-Aramaic depending on their geographical location within Beth Nahrain. Today, Assyrians in Iraq and Iran as well as the Khabur River Valley in Syria speak varieties of Northeastern Neo-Aramaic while the Assyrians in Turkey and Syria mainly speak Turoyo, a dialect of Central Neo-Aramaic.
Other prominent ethnic groups present in Beth Nahrain include: Arabs, Armenians, Yazidis, Turkmen, Persians, Kurds and Turks.
Geography.
Beth Nahrain occupies the land between two rivers - referring to the Euphrates and Tigris. The Tigris-Euphrates river system covers 35,600 km² and forms a major river system originating from the Taurus mountains of Eastern Turkey through Syria and Iraq towards the Persian Gulf.