In the English Old Testament, the term "Syria" or "Syrians" merely denotes Aramaeans. Historically, ancient Syria existed as a political unit only during the period of the Hellenistic Seleucid Monarchy, founded by Seleucus I (312-281 B.C.). [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary , Vol. 3, p. 1237]
The association of the earliest "Aramaeans" with the east and northeast is evident in Genesis 10:22-23, where Aram, Elam and Assyria occur together--a mark of very early date.
Shortly after 770 B.C., Syria of the Aramaean kingdom of Damascus came under the overlordship of Jeroboam II of Israel (2 Kings 14:28). Still later, perhaps after Jeroboam II's death in 753 B.C., a king Rezin appeared in Damascus and menaced Judah as Israel's ally, even conquering Transjordan; but Ahaz of Judah appealed to Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, who then in 732 B.C. defeated and slew Rezin (2 Kings 16:5-9; deporting the unhappy Aramaeans to Qir, ironically their ancient homeland, as prophesied by Amos (1:4-5). Other Aramaean kingdoms are rarely mentioned in Scripture; however Sennacherib in 701 B.C. mocked Hezekiah over the impotence of the kings and gods of Arpad, Hamath, Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the "children of Eden in Telassar: (2 Kings 18:34; 19:12-13). [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary , Vol. 1, pp. 88-91]
2 Nephi 17:1 Syria ([Illustration]): Centers of Aramaean settlement. [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary , Vol. 1, p. 91]