How long was Africa known as Ethiopia? 1507 map has Ethiopia in central and west Africa:

[Skooby]

I was at the Library of Congress yesterday and saw this map (by German mapmaker Martin Waldseemuller). It was the first map that showed the Americas, well the eastern part of North and South America.

But what stuck out to me was the map of Africa:

This 509-year-old map contains the first known use of the word 'America' — but not where you may think

You can see Ethiopia and Egypt written towards the bottom-center of the map.

Now look, he also has Ethiopia in central Africa (Ethiopia Interior). It also has written across West to Central Africa: Xiliceis Ethiopes, Ichtiophagi Ethiopes and Calcei Ethiopes. I'm guessing these are all different nations within Africa.

I thought at one point all of Africa was once known as Ethiopia. I'm wondering when that changed and then different nations within Africa became known as Ethiopia.

 

[OfTheCross]

 

[Strapped]

@Poitier we have a research job for you

 

[Pressure]

Is this just a representation of their empire?

They withstood colonialism right? And the term Africa is a result of colonization right?

Im just asking questions.

 

[BlackMajik]

Is this just a representation of their empire?

They withstood colonialism right? And the term Africa is a result of colonization right?

Im just asking questions.

Ethiopia is what peopled called ALL of black skinned Africa a looong time ago

The country called ethiopia now was called Abyssinia

 

[Pressure]

Ethiopia is what peopled called ALL of black skinned Africa a looong time ago

The country called ethiopia now was called Abyssinia

Okay.

And is this similar to native Americans being called Indians?

 

[BlackMajik]

Okay.

And is this similar to native Americans being called Indians?

Uhhh not really. Becuz the current Ethiopians are still black lol

 

[Pressure]

Uhhh not really. Becuz the current Ethiopians are still black lol

Sorry if that was confusing.

My statement was more in line that we know Ethiopia wasn't the only African empire and not the only empire they interacted with.

So my statement was more in line with other Africans, for example Egyptians being called Ethiopian because they just didn't give a damn about making the distinction despite knowing better.

Even after America was determined to be the new world and not India, the name remained.

 

[2stainz]

Ethiopia was Abyssinia, but also empire of Axum, also Zagwe (Begwena), also kingdom of D'mt ..... its complicated

Ethiopia in greek is thought to mean sun burned faces, so couldve been use to describe all black people: Aethiopia

The Greek name Αἰθιοπία (from Αἰθίοψ, Aithiops, 'an Ethiopian') is a compound word, derived from the two Greek words, from αἴθω + ὤψ (aitho "I burn" + ops "face"). According to the Perseus Digital Library, the designation properly translates as Burnt-face in noun form and red-brown in adjectival form.[4] It was used as a vague term for dark-skinned populations since the time of Homer.[5][6] It was applied to such dark-skinned populations as came within the range of observation of the ancient geographers i.e. primarily in what was then Nubia, and with the expansion of geographical knowledge, successively extended to certain other areas below the Sahara.

​

 

[DoubleClutch]

I once asked an African guy where he was from (can’t remember the country) and got an interesting response

In a nutshell, he told me the name of Africa a longtime ago like before everything was renamed by Europeans

It wasn’t Ethiopia but I had never heard that word or term used in relation to Africa before

I even made him repeat it back a few times and explain the meaning

He said his people (again I forgot where he was from) had passed down the name for generations

He was a pretty smart guy had traveled and lived in a few countries and taught me a few things about Africa in a 10-15 conversation most of it i forgot unfortunately

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Ethiopia is a Greek name.

 

[Secure Da Bag]

Is there an African name for Africa?

 

[KingSlime]

Ethiopia's name was never even Ethiopia it was a catch all term used to mean where "those dark skinned people live". It's like how all of western Africa from Senegal to Chad was known as "Western Sudan" Because in most of the worlds mind Sudan just meant "land of the blacks"

 

[Joe Sixpack]

Africa was once known as Alkebulan

 

[GodinDaFlesh]

"Ethiopian" was once a European catch-all term for black people.