Asia
The earth's largest continent apparently based its name on Assyrian
word asu meaning "east". Or, it may have come from another
group who gave a similar name to their area (around modern Ephesus).
* * *
The name was adapted and established as "Asia" by Ancient Greeks who used it to vaguely refer to
"those lands east of our homeland." Gradually this became better defined
as the natural geographic unit later also known as Anatolia.
* * *
After conquering the Greeks, the Romans naturally decided to use the name
they used and gave this to the name of their province which embraced all of Anatolia.
* * *
Thus, not only did the name of a tiny little area get
extended to cover an entire continent, but the naming wasn't even done by
anyone who lived there.
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