Literal translation of ash-Shām. The parallel use of both ISIS and ISIL as acronym originated from uncertainty in how to translate the Arabic word "ash-Shām" (or "al-Sham") in the group's April 2013 name, which can be translated variously as "the Levant", "Greater Syria", "Syria" or even "Damascus".
What was ISIS known for?
Isis was an Egyptian goddess known for being a role model for women, a principal deity in rites for the dead, and a curer of the sick. She was the daughter of the earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut. She was the wife of Osiris, god of the underworld. Their son was Horus.
When did Isis launch?
1999
What is Isis and how did it originate?
Islamic State was founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and gained global prominence in 2014 when it drove Iraqi security forces out of key cities in its Western Iraq offensive, followed by its capture of Mosul and the Sinjar massacre.