in the pre-christian era, during the mid- and late bronze age and iron age, the northern part of iraq and parts of south-east turkey and north-east syria were encompassed by assyria from the 25th century bc, southern iraq by babylonia from the 19th century bc, the mediterranean coast of lebanon and syria by phoenicia from the 13th century bc, and the remainder of syria together with parts of south-central turkey, by aramea, also from the 13th century bc.