| “ | Let us unite with our allies in everlasting friendship and amity in order to be able to stand against the godless and cruel dragon which has newly risen and which is oppressing mankind.
— Haile Selassie, leader of Ethiopia during the Italo-Ethiopian War
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” |
The term Habesha refers to the South Semitic-speaking group of people whose cultural, linguistic, and in certain cases, ancestral origins trace back to those people who ruled the Axumite Empire and the kingdom known as DʿMT (usually vocalized Diʿamat).
Peoples referred to as "Habesha" today include the Amhara, Tigray-Tigrinya and Tigre ethnic groups of Ethiopia and Eritrea, who are predominantly Oriental Christians and have been since AD 332, with exception to Tigre who are predominantly Muslim. The Amhara and Tigray ethnicities combined make up about 33% of Ethiopia's population (ca. 24.6 million Amhara, 5.5 million Tigray), while the Tigrinya & Tigre combined make up 85% (55% plus 30% respectfully) of Eritrea's population (ca. 5 of 5.9 million). A broader definition of this term also includes segments of the Semitic-speaking Gurage peoples in the southwest and the Harari peoples in the east and southeast because of their strong historical links to the Amhara and Tigray.
In the broadest sense, the word Habesha may refer to anyone from Ethiopia or Eritrea, although some would exclude themselves from this association.
The Abyssinian, or Ethiopian people are also notable for remaining an independent kingdom through the period of European colonisation. This independence was affirmed in the First Italo-Ethiopian War took place from 1895-1896. During that period, Ethiopia succeeded in repelling the Italian invasion and maintaining its independence, the only African country to do so in the late 19th century. The Ethiopians under Menelik II achieved this by purchasing modern arms such as rifles and Maxim machine guns from foreign countries, including Russia. After decisively defeating the Italians at the battle of Adwa, the Italians signed the Treaty of Addis Abada, officially recognising Ethiopian independence. The British and French recognised Ethiopia soon afterwards. Unfortunately, the Italians would later return in 1935 under dictator Benito Mussolini, and successfully invade Ethiopia, whose military arsenal had by that time become outdated- the Ethiopians had only about three aircraft and three tanks, and some of the infantry carried nothing but spears. This holds the dubious distinction as one of the few military victories of Fascist Italy.
Battle vs. Philippine Revolutionary Army (by SPARTAN 119)[]
Filipino: 
Ethiopian: 
Five Ethiopian Warriors camped up a mountainside in the Phillipines, confused as to where they are and how they got there, but nonetheless, wary. Two of the Ethiopians have set up a Maxim Gun on a tripod.
Suddenly, a Colt-Browning M1895 Machine Gun opens up, sending a hail of bullets that cuts down one of the Ethiopians. The Ethiopian manning the Maxim gun opens fire, placing several rounds through the chest of the Filipino machine gunner, killing him.
A Filipino sniper armed with a Springfield fires his rifle, scoring a headshot on the Ethiopian on the Maxim Gun. The Ethiopian fell down, dead. An Ethiopian armed with a Berdan Rifle struck down the Filipino with the Springfield.
Another Filipino, previously armed only with a bolo grabbed the Colt Browning and pulled the trigger, firing a long burst that took out the Ethiopian rifleman.
Unfortunately, the Filipino on the machine gun ran out of ammunition, and the remaining Ethiopians chose this moment to charge. The Filipino on the machine gun got off the gun and drew his bolo, only to be shot by an Ethiopian with a Nagant .
The Nagant-wielding Ethiopian stabbed in the back with a sibat. The Filipino with the sibat, however, has his weapon hooked away by an Ethiopian's shotel. The Filipino drew his Bolo knife and blocked a slash aimed at him by the Ethiopian commander... but it was a feint... the Ethiopian used the hooked shape of his sword to thrust around the blocking bolo and stabbed its owner through the heart.
The surviving Ethiopian picked up and Abyssinian spear and threw it at the last Filipino. The Filipino, however, rolled out of the way and and shot the Ethiopian in the chest with his Colt revolver.
The Ethiopian crawled, wounded to a Nagant that was lying several feet away, trying to get at the weapon and at least take his attacker with him. It was not the be, however. The Filipino walked up to the downed Ethiopian and stabbed him in the back with his bolo. The Filipino raised his bolo in triumph.
WINNER: Filipino Insurrectionist
Expert's Opinion[]
The voters believed the Filipinos were victorious due to their superior rifle, mobility, tactics, and stealth.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.
Battle vs. Boshin War Imperialist (by SPARTAN 119)[]
Boshin War Imperialist:
Ethiopian Warrior:
A boat arrived the shores of Ethiopia, carrying a squad of six veterans of the Boshin War, sent to recon Ethiopia in preparation for a full-scale invasion, an attempt to secure an African empire for Japan, proving the new global power could compete with Europe.
Five of the Imperialists got off the boat, onto the arid grassland on the shore, while the sixth remained on the boat and manned a mounted Gatling Gun. Suddenly, a burst of machine gun fire rang out from the cliffs above them.
The Ethiopian warrior manning the Maxim pulled the trigger, firing a burst of fire at the Japanese, cutting down two of them in a hail of bullets.
The Imperialist in the boat fired the Gatling at the source of the fire, killing the machine gunner, as well as a second Ethiopian. .
The remaining Ethiopians scattered, one of them taking aim with a Berdan rifle and scoring a headshot of the Imperialist Gatling gunner.
The three surviving Imperialists returned fire with their Dreyses, one of them scoring a hit on an Ethiopian.
The Ethiopians then drew revolvers and swords and charged down on the Imperialists as they were trying to reload their rifles. One of the Ethiopian warriors fired his Nagant revolver twice, hitting an Imperialist in the chest. He clutched his chest in pain and fell to his knees, dead.
The two surviving Imperialists responded, shooting one of three remaining Ethiopians with their revolvers. As the Imperialist turned his pistol on the other two, he realized they were right in his face with shotels at the ready.
The Imperialist's revolver was knocked out of his hand by a shotel strike, only for the Imperialist to kick the Ethiopian in the chest and knock him on his back, before finishing him with a downward thrust of his katana. [File:Green.png]]
The finishing blow, however, left the Imperialist vulnerable, and he was killed by a slash from an the last surviving Ethiopian's shotel, cutting his throat.
The final Imperialist slashed at the Ethiopian with his katana, but the Ethiopian jumped back and slashed at the Japanese soldier. The Imperialist blocked the blow, but, less than a second later, the Ethiopian thrust his sword forward, using the shotel's curved shape to thrust around the katana, and into the Imperialist's neck. The last surviving Imperialist died with a look of shock on his face as the Ethiopian ran back to warn his comrades of the unknown invaders.
Expert's Opinion[]
The Ethiopian Warriors won this battle because of their more modern armaments purchased from the Russians, as well as their better tactics. This allowed them to win this battle in spite of the Boshin's superior training.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.
Battle vs. Dahomey Amazons (by MilenHD)[]
It was warm and calm day in the African savannah,5 Dahomey Amazons were hunting elephants.After few feets they saw one and one of they aimed at the giant mammal but before she can shoot it,tthe animal's eye got shoot by different different bullet.As the animal collapsed,the Amazons looked curious and they saw an armored African warriors,those were the Abyssinians.The Amazons aimed at them and shoot their Dane guns,killing one of the Abyssinians and wounding one in the leg.
Abyssinians:1234
Amazons:12345
The Abyssinians aimed their arquebuses and shoot at the Amazons,missing most of them but one got shoot in the head and she falled on the ground.
Abyssinians:1234
Amazons:1234
Than both warriors charged at each other with their melee weapons,one of the Amazons got impaled by the Abyssinian's spear,but after few seconds his chest got pierced by the assegai.
Abyssinians:123
Amazons:123
Than the Abyssinians made a fake retreat to trick the Amazons,and they simply "swallowed the bait",as the Amazons followed them,the Abyssinian(who was early wounded by a bullet),jumped from the bushes and decapitated the Amazon with his sickle.
Abyssinians:123
Amazons:12
As the two others Amazons approach him and one of them attacked him by smashing her club into his skull,finally making end fo his suffering.Bu the other two Abyssinians were charging with their shotels and them.
Abyssinians:12
Amazons:12
Seeing they were tricked into the trap of the Abyssinians.The Amazons tried to defend themselves with their machete and club,as one of the Amazons tried to slice through his armor,but since the armor was so many layers the panga machete was unable to make a deep slice,than the Amazon's throat was sliced by the shotel.
Abyssinians:12
Amazons:1
She saw that she is alone,she threw her knobkerrie,and knocked one of the Abyssinians,as she grabbed the machete of her fallen comrade,she decapitated the other Abyssinian's head and his head rolled down.
Abyssinians:1
Amazons:1
Than both African warriors turned and charged at each other,with the Amazon repeating the same mistake as her fallen comrade,but she also had a shield for a little,before it was pulled away by the Abyssinian's shotel.The Amazon got angry and tried to cut through Abyssinian's armor,repeating the same mistake.In the end the Abyssinian swung his shotel,decapitating her arms and than her head.
Abyssinians:1
Amazons:
The Abyssinian raised his shotel and gave a loud war cry.
Expert's Opinion[]
While the Amazons had better gun,the Abyssinians have better melee wapons and actuall armor,but a big factor is that the Ethiopian kingdom was never conquered by the Europeans,while the Dahomey Kingdom was conquered,because the Dahomey used suicide tactics.