The Romani people (Turkish: Roman/Çingene) in Turkey are an ethnic minority. They descend from the times of the Byzantine Empire. Records about their presence in 9th century Asia Minor exist, where they arrived from Persia. With the expanse of the Ottoman Empire Turkish Romani settled also in Rumelia (Southern Europe under the Ottoman rule). Sulukule is the oldest Romani settlement in Europe.[citation needed] The descendants of the Ottoman Romani today are known as Xoraxane Romani and are generally of the Islamic faith.[1]