periods: PER_ARA_IRON_AGE

56 historical periods covering all traditions, from the Predynastic Egyptian period (c. 3200 BCE) to the 20th-century occultist reception layer. Used to anchor entity classifications and relationships in time.

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period_id tradition period_name start_year end_year notes
PER_ARA_IRON_AGE Aramean Aramean and Syrian Hellenistic Religion -1100 650 The period spanning the emergence of the Aramean states in the Iron Age (c. 1100 BCE) through their Hellenistic and Roman-period continuations, ending with the Islamic conquest of Syria (636–638 CE). The Aramean states of the Iron Age — most importantly Damascus (Aram-Damascus), Arpad, Hamath, Sam'al/Zinjirli, and Carchemish — were the major political powers of northern Syria from the 10th to 8th centuries BCE, in constant competition with the Neo-Assyrian Empire (which eventually absorbed them: Damascus fell to Tiglath-Pileser III in 732 BCE). Their religion preserved continuities with the Canaanite/Ugaritic Bronze Age tradition (Hadad as storm deity = Canaanite Baal, Astarte → Atargatis) while developing distinctive Aramean forms and new cult centers. The Aramean language (a Semitic language closely related to Hebrew and Phoenician) became the lingua franca of the Near East under the Neo-Assyrian and Achaemenid empires, spreading Aramean religious forms widely. The Hellenistic period (after Alexander's conquest, 332 BCE) saw the major Aramean cults — especially Atargatis at Hierapolis-Bambyce — acquire international prestige across the Mediterranean world. Palmyra (a major Aramaic-speaking city on the Syrian desert caravan route) continued Aramean religious traditions through the 3rd century CE. The Islamic conquest of Syria ends the period; some cult traditions (veneration of Baalshamin as "Lord of Heaven" under various names) had already been absorbed into local Christian practice. Lipiński (2000) and Kaizer (2002) are the principal references.

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