Ethiopian History

Ethiopia is one of the most ancient lands in the world.  At its beginnings it bore the name Abyssinia.  This was during the Solomonic dynasty around 1270.  During the time of the ancient Egyptians, Ethiopia was known as "the land of Punt".  These two kingdoms were trade partners.  The empire produced and traded gold, aromatic resins, blackwood, ebony, ivory, and wild animals.  It is also here that the Habeshat people were said to have lived.  Even the ancient Greeks knew of this magical land, referring to Ethiopia as the land of “burnt faces”, assuming that Ethiopia was a land situated at the edge of the earth where the Sun-rises.

It is believed that Ethiopia is the ancient land of the Queen of Sheba.  Throughout the years the rulers of this land have traced their lineage to Menilek I, the son of King Solomon and Queen of Sheba.  King Menilek established the longest Solomonic dynasty, lasting until 1974.  The last King of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, was overthrown by the Derg (Committee), installing a socialist government.  The socialist government lasted until 1987 when the country was renamed the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia under Communist rule.  In 1991 the Federal Democratic Republic was establish following the collapse of the Communist regime.