The Levant (direction where the sun rises, as viewed from Italy or Greece) is the crossroads through which cultural influences have passed from Africa (mainly Egypt) into Asia and Europe, and also in the reverse direction. (The Occident is the direction where the sun sets - hence the West).

The narrow flat land along the coast of the eastern Mediterranean has been the road through which Egyptian armies have passed to conquer the area to the north, and also the Syrian or Persian armies to conquer the area to the south. With them have come trade, culture, languages and religions.

In this area have begun the three major monotheist religions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam - which have spread to Africa, Asia, Europe and the rest of the world.
The presence of oil nearby has added to the importance of the area to the rest of the world. The migration of Jews to Israel has created an area of tension and instability at its heart (but it always has been).