Aramaic was the native-tongue of many Aramean tribes (descendants of Shem's son Aram) that dwelt between Mesopotamia and Canaan. It emerged as a distinct language around the 10th century BC and quickly spread throughout the Near-East region. This is due, in part, to the scattered state of Aramean peoples. It also owes to the fact that they were among the greatest merchants and traders of the ancient world, second only to the Phoenicians. Thus, by the end of the 9th century BC, Aramaic was the official diplomatic language of the Mesopotamian kingdoms, and it continued to expand in influence from that point on.