30 
DISCOVERIES OF THE ANCIENTS. 
nymous with that of Negro, though it does not al- 
ways imply complete blackness of complexion ; 
Ptolemy and Pliny even distinguish a race by the 
name of White Ethiopians. The tract, however, 
which was particularly considered as the kingdom 
of Ethiopia, was that which lay 4 6 under Egypt,' * 
by which was meant Nubia, with part of Abyssi- 
nia. This kingdom, with its capital, Meroe, was 
chiefly known by the formidable irruptions made 
thence into Egypt, which repeatedly subjected that 
country to Ethiopian dynasties, Diodorus repre- 
sents them as the most ancient of nations, and their 
country as the cradle of civilization, adding, that 
Egypt was indebted to them for its boasted science. 
But, according to Herodotus, an earlier and higher 
authority, all the civilization which Ethiopia ever 
possessed was introduced by colonists from Egypt. 
It is a more probable report, that many of the ob- 
jects of ancient worship were drawn from this re- 
gion, whose mysterious remoteness naturally tended 
to inspire sentiments favourable to the growth of 
superstition. 
The first journey into the interior, undertaken 
for the purpose of discovery, is that remarkable 
one which Herodotus * records as performed by 
some young Nasamonians. This people occupied 
a district of northern Africa, lying to the west of 
* II. 32. 
