Life in Ethiopia Historical and Religious Highlights of a 2,000 Year Old African Dynasty

The author becomes fascinated with Ethiopia after he and his wife live there for two years. This fascination continues to grow as the years pass and they explore other countries, particularly African countries. The idea of bringing this fascination and uniqueness to the attention of others develops, and a book results. To be more specific, factors such as Oldest Christian Empire, one of the oldest -if not the oldest-dynasties In the world (over two thousand years)- one of the oldest written languages, Ge'ez- Ancient Ethiopia one of places where early civilization began-the city-state of Axum where Ethiopia began its dynasty and said to be the repository of the Ark Of The Covenant (Ten Commandments). Also there are some remarkable sights to be seen such as the famous rock churches carved out of solid volcanic rock underground during the reign of King Lalibela the Falashan King of Ethiopia. Churches and monasteries are abundant in Ethiopia, many are spectacular to behold and filled with crosses and other religious works. The history of the wars fought among different sections of the country and between countries is gripping. It seems them was never a new ruler without a series of battles to determine the succession. Each ruler was supposed to be descended from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Fact or myth? The Ethiopians say fact. Whatever, it is one of the great stories of Ethiopia. There was one period of over three hundred years when the Solomonic Line was interrupted by the Falashan Line headed by Agaws, who were Jewish (black Jews).The Falashans were said to be descended from the Jewish servants who came back to Ethiopia with Menelik the First( son of Solomon and Sheba). The dynasty ends when Emperor Haile Selassie is dethroned in 1974