The first lesson in understanding ancient and medieval history is to first understand names; their usages and meanings in the context of it’s era. The continent of Africa is the longest place of human abode, the birth place of civilization and the three major religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Africa here includes Iberia, Italy and middle east. Inhabited for centuries by those known as negroids or shades of mostly black people, until the fall of Rome, 1500yrs ago or five centuries after Christ. Africa and Africans was the cultural center of the ancient world. Naturally, different cultures had it’s own name for Africa and Africans. The following are a glossary that will help you to put your findings in context.
Africans believed that they were the first people on earth. Which history and DNA have confirmed. Among them, they also believed that the first among them were the Afar, who were the first children of biblical Abraham by Isaac. The next were the Afara, who were descended
through his son Ishmael. In time Africans were decided into two lineal identities of AFAR or AFARA. From that they coined a name for the continent. AFAR is singular, while Afri is plural. The Afri continent=AFRICA.
- In Greek texts, Africans were known as Aithiops(Ethiopians). It means burnt skins or black.
- The original Arabs, called Africa SUDAN and Africans were Sudanese. Which included them(immerites)
- Romans called Africans by their true name, AFRICA or AFARLAND.
- The post Jihadist Arabs or occupier Arabs called Africans Berbers. A derogatory name from Roman barbarians. It soon became a distinct descriptive name of the remainder Amazings of north Africa. West Africans became Negros.
- The early Europeans knew Africans as moores or rather early Europeans text Africans are represented as moores