Several sources indicate that the name ''Syria'' is derived from the 8th century BC Luwian term "Sura/i", and the derivative ancient Greek name: , '''', or , '''', both of which originally derived from Aššūrāyu (Assyria) in northern Mesopotamia. However, from the Seleucid Empire (323–150 BC), this term was also applied to The Levant, and from this point the Greeks applied the term without distinction between the Assyrians of Mesopotamia and Arameans of the Levant. Mainstream modern academic opinion strongly favors the argument that the Greek word is related to the cognate , '''', ultimately derived from the Akkadian ''''. The Greek name appears to correspond to Phoenician  '''' "Assur", '''' "Assyrians", recorded in the 8th century BC Çineköy inscription.