Leucosyri

Strabo suggested this distinction was made by the Greeks to distinguish the Syrians of Anatolia from those of Mesopotamia and the Levant.

The earliest appearance of this term is theorized to have been the Sura mentioned in inscriptions from Carchemish.

According to Greek historiographers and geographers, the White Syrians lived in the Pontus region on the eastern side of the Halys River, in between the Paphlagonians and Chalybes.

Those south of the Halys River eventually established the various city-states and kingdoms of the Tabal region.

Under the Persians, the White Syrians were grouped into the 3rd taxation district along with the Phrygians, Bithynians, Paphlagonians and Mariandynians.