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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Djehuti: [QB] [QUOTE]Originally posted by sudanese: [qb] The term Aethiopia wasn't just a general description for dark skin populations; it seems to have been specifically used on the Kushites with their capital (Meroe) featuring in the description; the Nubae (Nubians) were distinguished from the Aithiopians of Meroe by Strabo. [QUOTE] On the left of the course of the Nile live Nubae in Libya, a populous nation. They begin from Meroe, and extend as far as the bends (of the river). They are not subject to the Ethiopians, but live independently, being distributed into several sovereignties.(Strabo, Geography 17.1.2.) [/QUOTE]The Greco-Roman writers seem to have recognised a complexion gradient in the Nile Valley in which the Aithiopians (Kushites) were the darkest; and the Lower Nubians were "partly moreso" than the Egyptians. [QUOTE]It was a market place to which the Ethiopians bring all the products of their country; and the Egyptians in their turn take them all away and bring to the same spot their own wares of equal value, so bartering what they have got for what they have not.[b]Now the inhabitants of the marches (Nubian/Egyptians border) are not yet fully black but are half-breeds in matter of color, for they are partly not so black as the Ethiopians, yet partly more so than the Egyptians.” Flavius Philostratus: c.170 to c.247, [/b] [/QUOTE][/qb][/QUOTE]Sudanese you are correct. The Greeks and Romans did indeed acknowledge a complexion gradient with some Africans being darker than others. Remember, according to the Greek worldview humans can be divided into southern and northern races. The northern races are those north of the Mediterranean Sea whereas the southern races are those south of that sea and according to Greek myth the latter were turned black by Phaethon when he nearly crashed his father's chariot (the sun) to earth scorching the lands into desert. That said there was a gradient of both 'blackness' and 'whiteness', with the medium being reached in the Mediterranean basin itself and the ethnocentric Greeks considered themselves to be center of the hues! Surprise, surprise. [URL=http://www.egyptsearch.com/forums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=007013]Manilius [i]Astronomicon[/i] 4.711-730[/URL] [i] Idcirco in varias leges variasque figuras dispositum genus est hominum, proprioque colore formantur gentes, sociataque iura per artus materiamque parem privato foedere signant. flava per ingentis surgit [b]Germania[/b] partus [b]Gallia[/b] vicino minus est infecta rubore, asperior solidos [b]Hispania[/b] contrahit artus. Martia [b]Romanis[/b] urbis pater induit ora Gradivumque Venus miscens bene temperat artus, perque coloratas subtilis [b]Graecia[/b] gentes gymnasium praefert vultu fortisque palaestras, et [b]Syriam[/b] produnt torti per tempora crines. [b]Aethiopes[/b] maculant orbem tenebrisque figurant perfusas hominum gentes; minus [b]India[/b] tostos progenerat; tellusque natans [b]Aegyptia[/b] Nilo lenius irriguis infuscat corpora campis iam propior mediumque facit moderata tenorem. Phoebus harenosis [b]Afrorum[/b] pulvere terris exsiccat populos, et [b]Mauretania[/b] nomenoris habet titulumque suo fert ipsa colore.[/i] Translation: [i] Because of the different laws and variant figures an organized race of people and of their own color nations are formed, and rights are united by means of the joints they sign materials to the level of a private league. The blonde rises in huge births in [b]Germany[/b]; [b]Gaul[/b] near at hand is less ruddy The more severe [b]Spain[/b] contracts the solid parts. The Martian father of the [b]Roman[/b] city puts on the edge Venus warms her limbs the subtle and highly colored peoples of [b]Greece[/b] he prefers the gymnastic look, and the brave sports and [b]Syria[/b] betrays her hair twisted in chronological order. [b]Ethiopians[/b] stain the world and depict a race of men infused in darkness; less sun-burnt are the natives of [b]India[/b]; the land of [b]Egypt[/b], flooded by the Nile, darkens bodies more mildly owing to the inundation of its fields: now nearer and the medium produces a moderate tenor. Phoebus with sandy [b]Aferam[/b] dust dries up the people, and [b]Mauritania[/b] is the name it has a label on its face and it bears the same color.[/i] [QUOTE]Originally posted by alTakruri: [qb] In Manilius' order white complexions from the most light to the least light are - Germania - Gallia - Hispania - Romanis - Graecia - Syrium In Manilius' order black complexions from the most dark to the least dark are - Aethiopes - India - Aegyptia - Afrorum - Mauretania This leaves Afrorum, Mauretania, Syrium, and Graecia complexions interspacning those of Egypt and Rome. That's four intervening complexions. No way for Egypt and Rome being near in complexion, while Egypt has only India between it and Ethiopia. Therefore by Manilius Egypt is very close to Ethiopia in colour but very far from Rome in "skin pigmentation adaptation" as you put it.[/qb][/QUOTE] [/QB][/QUOTE]
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