Editing Anatolia (section)

== Etymology ==
The English-language name ''Anatolia'' derives from the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] {{lang|grc|Ἀνατολή}} ({{lang|grc-Latn|Anatolḗ}}) meaning "the East" and designating (from a Greek point of view) eastern regions in general. The Greek word refers to the direction where the sun rises, coming from {{lang|grc|ἀνατέλλω}} ''anatello'' '(Ι) rise up', comparable to terms in other languages such as "[[levant]]" from Latin {{Lang|la|levo}} 'to rise', "[[orient]]" from Latin {{Lang|la|orior}} 'to arise, to originate', [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] {{Lang|he|מִזְרָח}} ''mizraḥ'' 'east' from {{Lang|he|זָרַח}} ''zaraḥ'' 'to rise, to shine', [[Aramaic]] {{Lang|arc|מִדְנָח}} ''midnaḥ'' from {{Lang|arc|דְּנַח}} ''denaḥ'' 'to rise, to shine'.<ref name="etym">{{cite web |url= https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%237638 |author= Henry George Liddell |author2= Robert Scott |title=ἀνατολή |website= A Greek-English Lexicon |access-date= 20 February 2021 |archive-date= 26 May 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070526063014/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%237638 |url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="OED">{{Cite web |title=Anatolia &#124; Origin and meaning of the name Anatolia  |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/anatolia |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713102500/http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Anatolia |archive-date=13 July 2017 |access-date=14 May 2021 |website=Online Etymology Dictionary |language=en-US}}</ref>

The use of Anatolian designations has varied over time, perhaps originally referring to the [[Aeolians|Aeolian]], [[Ionians|Ionian]] and [[Dorians|Dorian]] colonies situated along the eastern coasts of the [[Aegean Sea]], but also encompassing eastern regions in general. Such use of Anatolian designations was employed during the reign of Roman Emperor [[Diocletian]] ({{Reign|284|305}}), who created the [[Diocese of the East]], known in Greek as the Eastern Diocese, but completely unrelated to the regions of Asia Minor. In their widest territorial scope, Anatolian designations were employed during the reign of Roman Emperor [[Constantine&nbsp;I]] (306–337), who created the [[Praetorian prefecture of the East]], known in Greek as the Eastern Prefecture, encompassing all eastern regions of the [[Late Roman Empire]] and spanning from [[Diocese of Thrace|Thrace]] to [[Diocese of Egypt|Egypt]].

Only after the loss of other eastern regions during the 7th century and the reduction of [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] eastern domains to Asia Minor, that region became the only remaining part of the ''Byzantine East'', and thus commonly referred to (in Greek) as the Eastern part of the Empire. At the same time, the [[Anatolic Theme]] ({{lang|grc|Ἀνατολικὸν θέμα}} / "the Eastern theme") was created, as a province (''[[Theme (Byzantine district)|theme]]'') covering the western and central parts of Turkey's present-day [[Central Anatolia Region]], centered around [[Iconium]], but ruled from the city of [[Amorium]].<ref name="First Thema 1952, p. 59">"On the First Thema, called Anatolikón. This theme is called Anatolikón or Theme of the Anatolics, not because it is above and in the direction of the east where the sun rises, but because it lies to the East of Byzantium and Europe." [[Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus]], ''De Thematibus'', ed. A.&nbsp;Pertusi. Vatican: [[Vatican Library]], 1952, pp.&nbsp;59&nbsp;ff.</ref><ref name="John Haldon 2002. Page 32">John Haldon, ''Byzantium, a History'', 2002, p.&nbsp;32.</ref>

The Latinized form "{{Lang|la-x-medieval|Anatolia|italic=no}}", with its ''-ia'' ending, is probably a [[Medieval Latin]] innovation.<ref name=OED /> The modern Turkish form {{Lang|tr|Anadolu}} derives directly from the Greek name {{lang|el|Aνατολή}} (''Anatolḗ''). The Russian male name [[Anatoly]], the French [[Anatole (given name)|Anatole]] and plain [[Anatol]], all stemming from saints [[Anatolius of Laodicea]] (d.&nbsp;283) and [[Anatolius of Constantinople]] (d.&nbsp;458; the first [[Patriarch of Constantinople]]), share the same linguistic origin.