The largest of the continents. It was known to the Romans more specifically as what we know today as asia Minor. The name comes from at least two possible sources: from the Assyrian asu (to rise) or from the Sanskrit usa (dawn), both with reference to its being the land of the rising sun, i.e., eastern as opposed to europe, to the west. (From Webster's New Geographical dictionary, 1988, p82 & Room, Brewer's dictionary of names, 1992, p34)