The Levant

"Levant" or "The Levant" (as a region)

• levant = "rising"
  • named for the rising of the sun from the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea
• "The Levant" = lands along the eastern coast (Asia) of the Mediterranean Sea
• historically may also include
  • Northeast Africa (Libya and Egypt)
  • Mesopotamia (Middle East)
  • Asia Minor (modern Turkey)
• modern countries in The Levant include:
  • Jordan
  • Israel
  • Lebanon
  • Syria
  • also includes
    • Palestine
    • lower southeastern coastal Turkey