Asia originated from a ancient Greek word , which was named or used by historian Herodotus in his "Histories" around 440 BC.
Originally this was attributed or given to a land which lies on the eastern part of "Aegean Sea" which was known to be defeated by Hittites around 1400 BC as "Assuwa". Assuwa is presently known as Anatolia (near turkey). It had been suggested that "Assuwa" is the origin of the continent "Asia" (~Bossert, 1946). Later this name must have stretched out and covered a larger part hence naming the eastern part of the land as "Asia Minor".
The possible theory from which the name may have derived is a Phoenician word asu, which means "east" and an Akkadian / Semitic word asu, which means "to rise" or "light". Phonician name a place in reference to sun and they may have named the region being to its east and the land of sun rise as ASIA - eastern land or land of sun rise depicting similar meaning.
Originally this was attributed or given to a land which lies on the eastern part of "Aegean Sea" which was known to be defeated by Hittites around 1400 BC as "Assuwa". Assuwa is presently known as Anatolia (near turkey). It had been suggested that "Assuwa" is the origin of the continent "Asia" (~Bossert, 1946). Later this name must have stretched out and covered a larger part hence naming the eastern part of the land as "Asia Minor".
The possible theory from which the name may have derived is a Phoenician word asu, which means "east" and an Akkadian / Semitic word asu, which means "to rise" or "light". Phonician name a place in reference to sun and they may have named the region being to its east and the land of sun rise as ASIA - eastern land or land of sun rise depicting similar meaning.
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