The Caspian Sea , a landlocked body of salt water in Central Eurasia, is Earth's largest lake. 1. Names and early history Ancient authors named the sea for the Caspian peoples that had inhabited the southwest coast but had disappeared by the time of Strabo (d. after 23 C.E.; Strabo, Geography , 9.4.5; Strabo, Geografiia , 305). Muslim geographers named the sea for its coastal regions, cities, or nations (Le Strange, 22). The most common name in mediaeval Arabic literature was the Khazar Sea. After the decisive defeat of