Rūm
/ruːm/noun
A historical name for the Roman or Byzantine world, especially Anatolia and the territories later ruled by the Seljuks and Ottomans.
Did you know?Medieval Muslims called the Byzantine emperor the ruler of Rūm, while the Seljuk Sultanate of Rūm claimed legitimacy by ruling the former Roman heartland of Anatolia.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Rhōmaîoi
“Romans; the people of the Roman Empire”
Late Antiquity
Greek
Rhōmanía
“The Roman Empire or Roman territory”
7th–8th Century
Arabic
Rūm
“The Romans, Byzantines, or their lands”
Medieval Persian
Persian
Rūm
“Anatolia and the former Byzantine realm”
11th–13th Century
Arabic/Persian
Saljūqiyān-i Rūm
“The Seljuks of Rūm, ruling much of Anatolia”
Modern English
English
Rūm
“A historical term for the Roman or Byzantine territories, especially Anatolia”