Mereja.Forum

[EthioRedSea]

The Amharas have historically inhabited the north, central and western parts of Ethiopia, and were a pastoralist, semi-agriculturalist ethnic group.[21] Their origin is thought to have been modern-day Yemen (Sheba and Himyar), the Kingdom of Aksum and relocated to (Amhara) Sayint, Wollo, a place that was known as Amhara region in the past.[22] The Amhara are currently one of the two largest ethnic groups in Ethiopia, along with the Oromo.[21][22] They are sometimes referred to as "Abyssinians" by Western sources.[21][23][24]

The province of "Amhara" was historically located in the modern province of Wollo (Bete Amhara), in the modern sense however the region now known as Amhara in the feudal era was composed of several provinces with greater or less autonomy, which included Gondar, Gojjam, Wollo, Lasta, Shewa, Semien, Angot, and Fetegar.[25] The traditional homeland of the Amharas is the central highland plateau of Ethiopia. For over two thousand years they have inhabited this region. Walled by high mountains and cleaved by great gorges, the ancient realm of Abyssinia has been relatively isolated from the influences of the rest of the world.



Menelik King of Shewa

The Amharas have historically inhabited the north, central and western parts of Ethiopia, and were a pastoralist, semi-agriculturalist ethnic group.[21] Their origin is thought to have been modern-day Yemen (Sheba and Himyar), the Kingdom of Aksum and relocated to (Amhara) Sayint, Wollo, a place that was known as Amhara region in the past.[22] The Amhara are currently one of the two largest ethnic groups in Ethiopia, along with the Oromo.[21][22] They are sometimes referred to as "Abyssinians" by Western sources.[21][23][24]

The province of "Amhara" was historically located in the modern province of Wollo (Bete Amhara), in the modern sense however the region now known as Amhara in the feudal era was composed of several provinces with greater or less autonomy, which included Gondar, Gojjam, Wollo, Lasta, Shewa, Semien, Angot, and Fetegar.[25] The traditional homeland of the Amharas is the central highland plateau of Ethiopia. For over two thousand years they have inhabited this region. Walled by high mountains and cleaved by great gorges, the ancient realm of Abyssinia has been relatively isolated from the influences of the rest of the world.

[EthioRedSea]

Christian Axumite (Axum) presence in the Amhara region dates back to at least the 8th century, with the establishment of the Istifanos monastery in Lake Hayq.[26] Several other sites and monuments indicate similar Axumite presences in area such as the Geta Lion statues, located 10 km south of Kombolcha is thought to date as old the 3rd century or even further to pre-Axumite times.[27] In 1998, pieces of pottery were found around tombs in Atatiya in Southern Wollo in Habru to the south-east of Hayq and to the north-east of Ancharo (Chiqa Beret). The decorations and symbols on the pottery are reliable archaeological evidence that Aksumite civilization had extended to Southern Amhara beyond Angot.[28] Many more ancient sites had probably been plentiful but were likely almost all destroyed by the vengeful reign of Gudit and especially the Muslim invasions led by Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, where Amhara and Angot were particularly ravaged.

The first specific mention of the Amhara dates to the early 12th century in the middle of the Zagwe Dynasty, when the Amhara were recorded of being in conflict with the Werjih in 1129.[29] The Werjih are located to have inhabited the eastern lowlands of Shewa as pastoralists. This indicates that the Amhara not only were existent as a distinct ethnic group, but had already made a presence as far as the southern plateau since at least the 12th century, disproving a common proposition put forward by scholars like Mesfin Woldemariam and Takele Tadesse who suggested that the Amhara did not exist as an ethnic group.

Following the end of the ruling Agaw Zagwe dynasty, the Solomonic dynasty governed the Ethiopian Empire for many centuries from the 1270 AD onwards with the ascension of Yekuno Amlak, whose political and support base heiled from Shewa and Amhara. From then up until the deposing of Haile Selassie in 1974, (with the exception of the Tigray Yohannes IV) the Amhara continuously ruled and formed the political core of the Ethiopian Empire, greatly expanding its borders, wealth and international prestige as well as establishing several medieval royal sites and capitals such as Tegulet, Debre Berhan, Barara (located in Entoto, in modern-day Addis Ababa),[30] Gonder, and Magdela, the former three of which were located in Shewa

[EthioRedSea]

Much reseach is missigabout the origin of the Amhara. Tigrayans are mentioned as Tegrets in around 2000BC. The Amhara are probably closely related with Tigrayans and might have been forced to mgarate to South Ethiopia around 9th AD, just after the down fall of Aksum. There are no archeological evidences that The Amhara were part of Akumite Kingdom. The Aksumite Kingdom ruled over mmost of the current day Ethiopia.

[EthioRedSea]

The Amhara or Amara have contributed more to Ethiopia and Africa. We need to support The Amhara people to continue contributing to Ethiopia.