A Comparative Study of Historical Cultural Exchange between Iran and Ethiopia

Introduction

Iran, with its ancient history and civilization, has experienced major highlights and challenges in national relations with other countries. These relations date back to the time of the ancient Persian Empire, as well as the post-Islamic era; they have sometimes coexisted with war and strife, and sometimes been peaceful. Yet, they have all resulted in significant changes in social and cultural spheres both in Iran and in other nations. Thispaper therefore aims to examine cultural and civil relations between Iran and Ethiopia in the past as well as the present times.

Theoretical Framework

This paper is constructed based on Lahsaeizadeh’s theory of Cultural Exchange between Different Ethnic Groups. According to this theory, one of the main outcomes of international communication is familiarization with different cultures and civilizations. This could eventually lead to cultural exchanges as well as the creation of more sublime cultures. While Lahsaeizadeh argues that economic goals are the main forces of immigration among the people (Lahsaeizadeh, 1368 [1989 A.D]: 65-68), he specifies that people in a culture adopt cultural elements from other nations when the other culture has specific dominating features.  It depends on who are the immigrants, where are they immigrating, why they are immigrating and what are the consequences of the immigration? (Lahsaeizadeh, 2001: 54-55). Lasaeizadeh’s theory, argued by other scholars, has certain opponents: several scholars such as Portes believe that the culture of immigrants has not always been dominant on the indigenous culture, and in contrast, in most cases, immigrants are deeply affected by the host country and therefore may lose part or all of their cultural heritage and practices (Portes & Hao, 2002: 51). In the case of Iran and Ethiopia, considering that Iranian immigrants had a higher cultural level than Ethiopians, the theory of Lahsaeizadeh gains full credence in this particular issue.

The main questions discussed in this paper are therefore the following:

1. What are the main characteristics of the historic-contemporary relations between Iran and Ethiopia?

2. In this relationship, which component and country has played a dominant role?

The main hypothesis drawn from the above question is therefore as follows: Culture has been the main component in the Iran-Ethiopian relationship in the course of history (which has continued to the contemporary period). Hence, Iran has played the dominant role in the cultural bilateral relationship between the two countries.

The methodology of this library-based research is a qualitative content analysis as well as a historical analysis using a fieldresearch. However, having struggled with a severe shortage of available resources, first hand infield experience and observation have provided pristine research data and information on the topic.

Apart from a rather dated paper by Dr. Alaaddin Azari, which discusses the relations between Iran and Ethiopia before Islam^[1], no research has been conducted about the relations between the two ancient countries of Iran and Ethiopia independently at home or abroad. As a result, the researcher has attempted to collect scattered information available in order to present a general and comprehensive image of the relations between the two countries through the course of history, and provided invaluable information to the local researchers.  Although the author has no claim on the novelty of this paper, it can be argued that studying the relations between Iran and Ethiopia, especially in their cultural dimensions and their impact on each other, which includes original information, is counted as the novelty paradigm in this paper.

Relations between Iran and Ethiopia through the Course of History

Ethiopia is one of the few African countries whose relation with Iran dates back to thousands of years. There is no available information on the account of the relations between Iran and Ethiopia in the pre-Achaemenid era, and there is almost no evidence of relations between the two countries before the establishment of the Achaemenid dynasty in ancient Greek and Roman sources. There is only one pale trace that can be linked indirectly with relations between Iran and Ethiopia. In his book From the Persian Sea to the China Sea, Dr. Ahmad Eghtedari has quoted “Agatar Philus”, the historian and director of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt in the year 113 BC. Based on this quote, an Iranian man called “Eritrea”, the son of “Paivizis”, who lived on the coast of the Pars Sea in the Medes era, was struck by a severe storm in the north of the Persian Gulf and was carried to an island, today’s Qeshm Island (Philus, A, 113 BC. as quoted by Eghtedari (1364 [1985 A.D]). Eritrea established a small state called “Yoft”, which later changed to “Loft”, today’s “Loft Bay” (Dezhgani, 1384 [2005 A.D]: 53). This person (except for the common names) has no affaires with the country of Eritrea. But considering the fact that Eritrea in Greek and Roman languages means red sea, (Eritrea, n.d.) and that Eritrea has long been part of Ethiopia, a person with this name in Iran, unique in the ancient history of Iran, is a wonder (Arabahmadi, 1393 [2013 A.D]: 289).

The relationship between Iran and Ethiopia began during the reign of Cambyses (529-522 BC), the second Achaemenids king, and his expedition to Egypt. Cyrus, the founder of the Achaemenids Dynasty, failed to expand his dominion in Africa. However, further expanding the empire in the west and conquering Egypt and beyond were of primary importance for Cambyses, Cyrus' successor (Amini, 2001). After undertaking the conquest of Egypt and the modern Libya, Cambyses decides to invade Abyssinia or modern Ethiopia (Pirnia, 1345 [1966 A.D]: 258). Due to his unfamiliarity with the circumstances of the country, he sent his delegations with gifts and blessings in order to gather information about their military position. According to Herodotus, the delegates received humiliating rebuffs by the Ethiopian king. Without considering the logistics, necessary supplies, and the potential risk of his expedition to Abyssinia^[2], Cambyses set off to this mysterious land at the head of an army^[3]  (Munson, 2013). However, he was only partway through when he was forced to end his expedition and return to Thebes^[4] due to lack of supplies and a sand storm, which caused the death of a significant part of his troops (Budge, 2015: 88). Returning to Egypt at that time, Cambyses later conquered the Northern Abyssinia and annexed it to Egypt. The Abyssinians were afterwards used as soldiers in Iran’s Army. In certain references, it is stated that Cambyses founded a city in the north of Sudan on his expedition to Ethiopia and named it Merowe, after his wife (Amini, 2001: 65). Yet there is no such name in Iranian resources; it is presumed that on his stay in Egypt, he took an Egyptian wife called Merowe, hence naming the city Merowe. The small town of Merowe is now a historic town in Sudan and a short distance from Eritrea (which was part of the Ethiopian Kingdome).^[5]

Relationships between Iran and Ethiopia continued during Darius’s reign (521-486 BC). Along with expansion policies, Darius issued a decree according to which the Persian emperors based in the Egypt subjugated parts of Abyssinia, Napata and modern Somalia to their country. In that era, “Elephantine”  in the north of Abyssinia was Iran’s strong garrison and Abyssinians paid their tributes of ivory and ebony to Iran’s court; Darius cites Kush (Abyssinia) as part of his empire in“Behistun Inscription” (Dandamaev & Lukonin, 2004; Zarrinkoub, 1391 [2012 A.D])^[6]. Using ivory by Kush people (Abyssinians) is substantiated in an inscription in Darius’s palace in Shush (Kent, 1950: 143), and proves that receiving these gifts were in turn valuable. On the south-facing wall of the staircase of the Apadana Palace, one can also see pictures of representatives of different countries with their tributes in their hands. Each section of these sculptures belongs to different countries including Abyssinia (Dandamaev & Lukonin, 2004: 102)^[7]. Ethiopians are illustrated as three Abyssinian officials who present an animal called “okapi” (a kind of short giraffe) as well as gifts such as gifts such as ebony and ivory to the Achaemenid king, Darius^[8]. In Herodotus’s book, Ethiopia has been mentioned as a satrap Achaemenid dominion (Kent, 1950: 143). However, Ethiopia was not colonized by Achaemenid kings; Ethiopian kings granted valuable presents such as gold, ebony, and ivory to the Achaemenid government. Yet, what is clear is that only parts of Abyssinia were dominated by Iran and the rest of the country was independent.

The relationships between Iran and Ethiopia continued during Xerxes’s reign (486-466 BC) and according to Herodotus, a group of Abyssinians, dressed in leopards and lions with bows and long javelins, took part in the great Iranian expedition against Greece (Morkot, 1991: 328). After Xerxes, there has been much less account on Kush or Ethiopians in reference books; it was only after the Persian Empire was overthrown by Alexander, and when this Greek conqueror entered Iran, that one finds references to the presence a group of Ethiopian in Babylon.   

The Relations between Iran and Ethiopia during the Time of Sassanid’s Dynasty

There is no information about the relations between Iran and Ethiopia during the Parthian Empire. Although the Axum Empire was established in parts of modern Eritrea and Ethiopia and was one of the greatest empires of the world at that time, there is no reference of relations between Parthians and the Axum Empire^[9]. Relations between Iran and Ethiopia expanded slightly during the Sassanid era (226-652 AD) and commercial, maritime and religious matters were somewhat effective in the expansion of these relations (Huyse, 2012). In the early Sassanid era and during Shapur’s reign, Mani, a social reformer (also known as prophet), refers to the Axum Empire as one of the four greatest empires of the world and one of the great centers of trade. According to him, marine trade routes cross trade ways, which lead to Africa’s mainland (Munro-Hay, 2002). One of the rare instances of relations of the two kingdoms was during Kavadh I’s reign (488-531 AD), when the then Abyssinian Emperor sent clergymen to Iran to settle the disputes between Iranian Christians. During this period, Ethiopians, who had the world’s largest navy, became Iran’s rival in trade in the South Seas, and as they were of the same cult as Romans, they always took their side in sea-related trade/ conflicts (Azari, 1350 [1971 A.D]). During Khosrow Anushiruwan’s reign, when the rivalry in trade, especial silk trade became fierce, and dominating the marine routes led to the seizure of Yemen by Ethiopians for a short time, a war broke out between the two countries in Yemen. As a result of this war,  Iranians conquered the country of Yemen, until it was later seized by Arab Muslims (Bosworth, 1983: 604-7). The two countries therefore broke their relations for hundreds of years, which persisted from fall of the Sassanid Dynasty to the seventeenth century. In the mid-seventeenth century, during the Safavid Dynasty, the relations between Safavid Kings and Ethiopian Emperors was restored, but was restricted to the presence of two Ethiopian panels in Iran. The aim of these panels was two expand trade relations, which were welcomed by Safavid Kings^[10] (van Donzel, 1979: 139).

The initiation of new relations between Iran and Ethiopia dates back to 1950s and 1960s. In 1329, an extraordinary Iranian ambassador was sent to Ethiopia; messages and gifts were exchanged between the governments of the time. Ethiopia’s minister was presented in Tehran in the same Year. In March 1961, Iran’s embassy was established in Addis Ababa and the first ambassador of Iran was sent to Ethiopia. However, in September 1962, Iran’s Embassy was closed due to financial problems and consular matters were handed over to the Iranian embassy in Saudi Arabia as before. In 1962, an Iranian panel was sent to Ethiopia to evaluate the possibilities of expanding economic and political relations with this country, and in 1964, Iran’s embassy was reopened in Ethiopia. Emperor Haile Selassie I traveled to Iran in September 1964, which was a trigger to sign a trade treaty and laid the groundwork to strengthen and expand bilateral relations (Asserate, 2017: 265). In 1968, the former king of Iran visited Ethiopia, meanwhile the treaty of amity and friendship between Iran and Ethiopia was signed and actions were taken to expand the economic and commercial relations of the two countries. In 1971, Emperor Haile Selassie took part in the 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire and other high-ranked officials of Ethiopia and Iran traveled to the two countries alternatively. With the rise of Mengistu Haile Mariam, his associates to the Eastern bloc (union of the Soviet Union and Cuba) and the former king’s support of Somalia in Ogaden war, the relations of the two countries became strained, and the Ethiopian government announced that a considerable portion of US help to Somalia, will be at this country’s disposal through Iran (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1355 [1977 A.D.]).

After the Islamic Revolution in Iran, considering the strained relations between the Shah’s regime and the government of Ethiopia, and the fact that the Ethiopian government considered itself as revolutionary, the relations between the two countries flourished; the foreign minister of Ethiopia sent his message of congratulations to the foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Having established the foreign policies of the country, and prioritizing Africa and third world countries, the Islamic Republic of Iran decided to have friendly relationships with Ethiopia, which was located in a sensitive and strategic area in the Horn of Africa. The importance of this matter was highlighted by the Organization of African Unity. In addition to the strategic position of Ethiopia, the fact that both countries had anti-imperialistic positions and that Ethiopia sided with Iran in the imposed Iran-Iraq war, made Iran more eager to expand its relations in 1980s. During these years, although the two countries expanded their relations, the Islamic Republic of Iran endorsed Eritrea’s cause, which was a major obstacle to further expand the relations. In a visit with Iranian Officials, Ethiopian authorities tacitly referred to these matters as the main barricade to expand the relations between the countries^[11]. After the fall of Haile Mariam and the arrival of the new government in Ethiopia in 1991, the negotiations for expansion of relations between the two countries began once again.  The same year, the director of the Middle East and North Africa visited Addis Ababa and met with Meles Zenawi, the President of the Transitional Government, to whom he sent the oral message of the President of Iran (Hashemi Rafsanjani), which conveyed the willingness and readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to expand relations with Ethiopia. Ethiopian government welcomed this message and their embassy was reopened in Tehran in 1992 (Arabahmadi & Karimi, 1397 [2018 A.D]: 253).

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Short after the reestablishment of the Ethiopia’s embassy in Tehran, “Tamrat Layne”, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia visited Iran and during the visit, four memorandums of understanding on collaborations in the fields of trade, construction, fisheries and oil were signed between the two countries. In addition, during this trip, a meeting took place between the middle ranked managers of the two countries (Abhari & Alamooti, 1374 [1995 A.D]: 91). In 1999, following the meeting of foreign ministers of Iran and Ethiopia in the Non-Aligned Movement conference in Durban, South Africa, Ethiopia's foreign minister traveled to Iran and met with the president of Iran, Mr. Khatami, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the same year, the Ministry of Energy and Mine of Ethiopia traveled to Iran as the special representative of Meles Zenawi, and submitted the written message of Ethiopia’s prime minister to Iran. Short after that message, Iran’s vice president traveled to Ethiopia; he met with the Ethiopian prime minister, the deputy of Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Head of the Organization of African Unity, and signed a memorandum of understanding of economical, scientific and technical collaboration between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Having signed the M.O.U Summit of the Joint Economic Commission between Iran and Ethiopia, the two countries formally began their economic, scientific and technical activities and collaborations.(FRAN, n.d.).

In the 2000s, the two country’s relations continued efficiently and a Summit of Joint Economic Commission between the two countries was held in Tehran and Addis Ababa with the presence of the senior officials of the two countries. During the presidency of Dr. Ahmadinejad, the relations between the two countries expanded and panels from each country traveled to the other, the last one of which is the attendance of Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran in 2012 (Arabahmadi & Karimi, 1397 [2018 A.D]: 254)

The importance of Ethiopia’s strategic position in the Horn of Africa and the considerable  number of Muslim minorities living in that country on one hand, and the country’ geopolitical position in the political geography of Africa as well as the cultural and historical affinities of the two countries on the other hand brought Iran and Ethiopia closer to each other. Currently, the political & cultural relations of the two countries continue in a pleasant manner.

Cultural Exchanges

The relations and cultural exchanges of Iran and Ethiopia date back to the ancient times. According to Professor Shojaeddin Shafa, discussing the cultural results of Cambyses’s expedition to the North of Ethiopia, “there is still a tribe called ‘Din Gol’ with fair-skinned people and ancient Iranian names like Rustam, Shirin, etc. living in a mountainous area in former headquarters of the Iranian camp. It is possible that they are the descendants of the same Achaemenid army” (Shafa, 1342 [1963]: 3). In 524 BC, when Cambyses set off on an expedition, vine trade came into vogue both in Ethiopian references and in the narrative accounts of native Africans on the coasts of the Red Sea and the surrounding areas. In those references, Iranian were referred to as “Fars” (Fors) in ancient times, who occupied important areas on the coasts of the Red Sea and installed vine tanks, some of which still exist. In traditional native narratives, “Soaken” in “Dehlak”^[12] archipelago is known as an area in which these tanks were found. In these narratives, it is also mentioned that the Fars had cereal and banana plantations in a magnificent city known as the “Adga” at the sea front Mountains.  In Dankali traditions, it is believed that the great bay of Asab was the main area of Fars residence, which was later demolished by the invaders of the “Songo” tribe. According to this account, the Fars filled and hid the tanks while leaving Asab (Rossini, 1928: 295-296). The authenticity of these narratives however, is not validated, as  there has been no evidence of whether or not the Fars were related to the Iranians who were in Yemen when it was conquered from 572-629. The “Roi des Rois” meaning “King of kings”, was a title used by Ethiopian monarchs. In the inscriptions found in Axum, it was associated with the glorious title of the Shah of Iran (Vycichl, 1957: 23). Nevertheless, it is difficult to prove that this title was taken from ancient Iran and used by the Axum Empire.

After this era, and through a course of one thousand years, when a group of Iranians travelled to this country for trade and were based in Deira in the Hararite, cultural relations between the two countries entered a new phase. The Iranians’ business practice, gradually resulting in a remarkably friendly relationship with the indigenous people of these areas, led to cultural influences and the Iranian culture and civilization were introduced to the Ethiopian people (Mehrnia, 2016). One of the most prominent cultural influences of Iranian immigrant on Ethiopia was borrowed words from the Persian language to the Amharic language. Ethiopian natives welcomed these words in such a way that in spite of the faint presence of Iranians in a small part of Ethiopia, those words are still used in the Amharic language. The most important words in Persian, as part of a permanent Iranian cultural heritage in the Amharic language are listed Table 1.

It is believed that tens of modern Persian words are used as main terms in the Amharic language, all of which are the remnants of the presence of Iranian immigrants in this country in the 17^th century AD (Kane, 1990: 1418).

Table 1. The most important words in Persian in the Amharic language