Syriacs (The Ancient Lives On)

The Syriacs are an ethnic group living in all of present-day Syria, as well as parts of Turkey.

Subdivisions
The Syriacs, although same in appearance, are not a united ethnic group. Apart from classic Syriacs, there are also:

Hurrians
The Hurrians were originally an Kassite or Iranian ethnic group living in modern-day northwest Iran, along the Caspian sea, and in northern Iraq. In the early 16th century BC, they have left their original homeland and invaded Syria. A powerful Hurrian state called Mitanni formed in the region. But after its collapse, the Hurrian language slowly died out, and by the time this timeline takes place, all left of the Hurrians is the region's name - Mitanni(a). Today, the region retains a Syriac-based dialect.

Eblaites
Ebla was probably the first state in Syria, forming around 2500 BC. Unlike the Hurrians, however, the Eblaite language was preserved to this day, as a language distinct from common Syriac. Although the modern Eblaites are genetically not different from common Syriacs, their language is.

History
The history of the region is very long and interesting. However, since most of the region's history until the late 1st century bc is just like in otl, then it will not be included.

Decolonization of the Middle east
After the mid-2nd century AD, the Roman Empire's power in the Middle east quickily fractured. In the year 257, the Syriacs attempted an unsuccesfull revolt against Roman rule. By 280, Phoenicia would be independent of Roman rule, and Semitic groups in the Middle east demanded independence. By 330, the Egyptians conquered the entire Middle east from Rome. But after their ruler, Nieta, was killed in 342, the Egyptian power in the Middle east had greatly fractured.

After the collapse of the Egyptian power, the region would be filled with new Semitic kingdoms. The Syriacs themselves created 12 kingdoms in Syria. These kingdoms were Cilicia, Antiochia, Mitanni, Latakia, Aleppo, Batnae, Rakka, Ebla, Qatna, Damascus, Tadmor and Palmyra. The kingdoms slowly started to adopt Christianity. The last kingdom to adopt Christianity was Qatna around the year 450. In the year 452, after the council of Nicaea, the Syriacs chose to adopt Coptic Christianity, as did the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Akkadians, Nubians and Ethiopians.

The kingdoms remained very idle in the region, not engaging in any conquests. However, two kingdoms, Cilicia and Antiochia, were vassalized by the Eastern Roman empire from around 550 to 620.

Arab conquest of Syria
In 633, the Arab Caliphate, seeking to conquer new lands and spread Islam, targeted the Syriac kingdoms. The kingdoms were perfect target for the Arabs, as they were weak and defenseless. The last kingdom, Mitanni, attempted a revolt against the Arabs, but failed, and by 642, the region was fully under Arab control. Not much is known about the history of Syria during Arab rule.

Medieval kingdoms
In 807, the weak Abbasid Caliphate was struck by a huge revolt, causing it to lose Syria, Assyria and Akkad as territory.