The Syriac language is a dialect of the Aramaic language, which was widely spoken in the ancient Near East. It emerged around the 1st century AD and became a significant literary and liturgical language for various Christian communities, particularly the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East. Syriac is written in a script derived from the Phoenician alphabet and has a rich literary tradition, including religious texts, poetry, and historical writings. Today, it is still used in some religious contexts and is studied by scholars interested in early Christianity and Middle Eastern history.