Moor: The word "Moor" has its origin in 46 B.C. when the Romans invaded West Africa. They called the black Africans they met there Maures from the Greek word mauros, meaning dark or black. The word indicated more than one ethnic group. To Shakespeare "Moor" simply meant "black African" It is important to point out that the medieval Moors who conquered Europe should not be confused with the modern Moors. According to Chancellor Williams, "the original Moors, like the original Egyptians, were black Africans. As amalgamation became more and more widespread, only the Berbers, Arabs, and coloreds in the Moroccan territories were called Moors".
Etymology: Of The Word Moor
Moor (n.)
"North African, Berber, one of the race dwelling in Barbary," late 14c., from Old French More, from Medieval Latin Morus, from Latin Maurus "inhabitant of Mauretania" (Roman northwest Africa, a region now corresponding to northern Algeria and Morocco), from Greek Mauros, perhaps a native name, or else cognate with mauros "black" (but this adjective only appears in late Greek and may as well be from the people's name as the reverse). Also applied to the Arabic conquerors of Spain. Being a dark people in relation to Europeans, their name in the Middle Ages was a synonym for "Negro;" later (16c.-17c.); being the nearest Muslims to Western Europe, it was used indiscriminately of Muslims (Persians, Arabs, etc.) but especially those in India. Cognate with Dutch Moor, German Mohr, Danish Maurer, Spanish Moro, Italian Moro. Related: Mooress.
Ethiopia:
Since the name Ethiopia seems to have been distinctly European or Greek product and therefore a relatively late creation so far as Nilotic history is concerned, it need hardly be urged that the term had little if any currency among the peoples native to the area. Indeed, so far as we know, the ancient Ethiopians, as odd as it may seem, never called themselves "Ethiopians" or their land "Ethiopia," nor did the ancient Egyptians or the adjacent Asian nations, seemingly, ever make use of these terms in referring to their "dusky" neighbors and contemporaries. It is only by reason of the popularity of classical literature in the modern scheme of thought that the name Ethiopia has come to have the currency it does at the present day. In discussing the early history of the country, particularly its own internal relations and its relations with its Oriental neighbors, it will be necessary at times to press into service certain designations employed in these several communities.
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