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In
Africa,
Ethiopia's historical pedigree is second only to that of Egypt. The
country claims a history going back 5,000 years, and there are Bible
episodes mentioning
Ethiopia dating back at least 3,000 years.
The rich history is a blend of fact, legend, and tradition. But a good part of the
history is almost certainly correct and remains unchallenged.
Ethiopia is a truly unique destination, whose attractions you can find nowhere else in
the world. The biggest draw to an Ethiopia cultural tour
is the rich Christian heritage. Ethiopia was one of the
very first places to embrace Christianity, way back in the 4th century
AD. The wonderful churches, monasteries, icons and relics you find here
are a legacy
of the Orthodox Church.
What ancients referred to as Ethiopia
covered at various times, parts or whole of the regions of Kush, Meroe,
Aksum,
Abyssinia, Sheba and Nubia. Today this would include swathes of
present-day Sudan, Ethiopia, northern Somalia and the horn of Africa's
Red Sea coast. The
ancient Egyptians believed that Ethiopia was the land of their
fore-bearers. There are numerous references in ancient Greek, Egyptian
and Judaic texts to
Ethiopia, and her historical and cultural links to ancient Mediterranean
cultures are clear.
Ethiopians claim that the Queen of Sheba
-interlocutor
and distinguished guest to ancient Israel's King Solomon, ruled over a
kingdom located in present day Ethiopia. The queen whom they refer to as
Makeda,
travelled to the Holy Land to seek enlightenment at the feet of King
Solomon, whose reputation at the time for wisdom and discernment was
without equal. She
journeyed to Israel with 797 ships laden with gifts of gold, precious
stones and spices.
The gifts were indeed fit for a king and the
gold alone
would today be valued in millions of American dollars. Solomon and the
queen got along very well. The Bible records, that in return: " King
Solomon gave
unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside
that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty."
An
encounter of the
queen's visit to the Holy Land is given in the Ethiopian book, Kebra
Nagast, which translates as "The Glory of Kings". This book -which is
believed to be over a thousand years old, is an important source of
Ethiopia's history and legend.
It accounts for the Solomonic
lineage of
Ethiopia's kings, telling of how Makeda's beauty mesmerized wise Solomon
and how he secretly loved her and sired a son. The book also gives an
insight into
the circumstances that surrounded Ethiopia then.
The queen
proselytized to Judaism, perhaps explaining the material evidence that
has been found
indicating that Judaism was practised in some parts of Ethiopia before
the advent of Christianity. It is said that when the queen's only son
and heir came
of age, she sent him to Israel to meet his father. Solomon was delighted
with his son, whom he named Menelik meaning "how handsome he is".
Menelik
returned to Sheba with a number of young priests and trusted sons of his
father's officials, provided to equip him with wise counsel and
spiritual
guidance.
It is said that these young men took with them the
authentic Ark of the Covenant replacing it with the relic given to
Menelik by his
father. That is how the legend arose that the Ark of the Covenant -an
item of immeasurable cultural and religious value, ended up in Ethiopia.
There is
hardly any Ethiopian who does not believe that The Ark of the Covenant
is in their country. Some are even sure of its location- the Church of
Our Lady Mary
of Zion in Axum.
Though
the story of the Queen of Sheba is a settled matter with Ethiopians, it
is still controversial, as some scholars place Sheba in the region
where Yemen is found today. But it is also recorded that Axum -an
ancient empire in today's northeast Ethiopia, ruled a good part of the
southern Arabia
peninsula. And indeed, Ethiopia's Amharic and Tigrean languages are
southern Semitic languages.
Ethiopia was the first African
country to encounter
Christianity. The New Testament Bible cites an Ethiopian eunuch, being
baptised by Philip - an early Christian. But it is Frumentius in the 4th
century AD
who is credited with introducing Christianity to Ethiopia. Bishop
Athanasius of Alexandria sent him as a missionary, and he succeeded in
converting the
Axumite royal family at around AD 330.
But progress was slow,
until the arrival of a company of monks known in Ethiopian church
history as the Nine
Saints, towards the end of the 5th Century. The Nine Saints who hailed
from all over the Byzantine Empire played a great role in spreading
Christianity
beyond Axum and their influence on the Ethiopian church was profound and
long lasting. They translated the Bible from Greek into Ge'ez -the
local written
language, and also established a strong monastic tradition. The church
maintained a strong link with the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria, and
today most
Ethiopians adhere to the Orthodox belief.
Axum and northern
Ethiopia have the country's most significant historic sites. Axum -
earlier written as
Aksum, was the first major empire to rise out of Ethiopia. The 10th
century BC Axumite kingdom was at one time considered together with
Persia, China and
Rome as one of the great powers of the world. It was an important
commercial centre, trading with Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, Arabia and
Persia. Axum began
to decline in the seventh century AD.
The Axum landscape is
marked with mysterious monuments and magnificent ancient structures and
ruins. The
oldest and most esteemed of the treasures are the 3,000-year-old age
steles that were sculpted from single pieces of granite rock curved to
resemble storied
buildings. The tallest obelisk, which is over 23 m tall, was looted from
Ethiopia and erected in Rome by Mussolini's fascist troops during their
brief
occupation of the country from 1936 to 1941. After decades of debate and
controversy, the monolith was finally returned to Axum in April 2005.
The relic is
now Ethiopia's greatest historic attraction.
At the churches and monasteries of Axum, history comes to life as the icons and historic crowns of
ancient emperors tell the story.
The most outstanding church is the 16th century Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion, considered to be Ethiopia's holiest
site and believed to house the original Ark of the Covenant.
While
in Axum, other historical sites not to be missed are: the royal graves
of King
Kaleb and Gabre Meskel, the 54 room ruins of a palace that supposedly
housed the Queen of Sheba, and her legendary Bath. Also look out for the
still legible
early 4th century stone-pillar inscription, made on account of King
Ezana's victory over rebellious tribes.
Help and More Information for Ethiopia!
Planning for a tour
of Ethiopia? Contact us
today and we will assist you in picking and booking the best hotel
and
flight, and all your other Ethiopia travel arrangements.
Attentive service
The rich history is a blend of fact, legend, and tradition. But a good part of the
history is almost certainly correct and remains unchallenged.
An
encounter of the
queen's visit to the Holy Land is given in the Ethiopian book, Kebra
Nagast, which translates as "The Glory of Kings". This book -which is
believed to be over a thousand years old, is an important source of
Ethiopia's history and legend.
Though
the story of the Queen of Sheba is a settled matter with Ethiopians, it
is still controversial, as some scholars place Sheba in the region
where Yemen is found today. But it is also recorded that Axum -an
ancient empire in today's northeast Ethiopia, ruled a good part of the
southern Arabia
peninsula. And indeed, Ethiopia's Amharic and Tigrean languages are
southern Semitic languages.
