Aramaean culture

The Aramaeans were an ancient Semitic people who emerged around the late 2nd millennium BCE in modern-day Syria and surrounding regions. They spoke Aramaic, a language that later became widely used in the Near East. Aramaean culture was marked by trade, nomadic lifestyles, and city-building. They established several kingdoms, like Damascus, and contributed to the spread of their language, which influenced Hebrew and became the lingua franca of the region. Their artistic expressions included intricate pottery and reliefs, and their religious practices blended with those of neighboring cultures, emphasizing both polytheism and, later, monotheistic beliefs.