Overview

Medieval and early modern Jews usually lived as a minority under non-Jewish rule, but there are a few known cases of independent or autonomous Jewish polities. One of the most intriguing is the autonomous Betä Ǝsraʾel (Ethiopian Jews) in the Sǝmen Mountains of Ethiopia. Betä Ǝsraʾel oral tradition refers to this polity as the “Kingdom of the Gideonites.” From the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, the Betä Ǝsraʾel of the Sǝmen and its surroundings were involved in a series of wars against the Christian Solomonic kingdom, until finally being subdued in the late 1620s. Based, in part, on the archaeological survey of Betä Ǝsra’el monastic sites, this book examines not only textual and oral accounts, but also the historical geography of the Betä Ǝsraʾel polity and its strongholds. It also discusses the commemoration of these wars in later times and their impact on the development of religious sites.

Full Product Details

Author:   Bar Kribus (Tel Aviv University)
Publisher:   Arc Humanities Press
Imprint:   Arc Humanities Press
Edition:   New edition
ISBN:  

9781802701869

ISBN 10:   1802701869
Pages:   200
Publication Date:   31 August 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction Chapter 1. An Israelite Kingdom in Ethiopia: Legends of a Glorious Past Chapter 2. ʿAmdä Ṣǝyon and Early Solomonic Expansion Chapter 3. Ethiopian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Activity in the Lake Ṭana Region and Conflict with its Jews Chapter 4. The Great War with Emperor Yəsḥaq and its Aftermath Chapter 5. Betä Ǝsraʾel Sovereignty and Society in the Aftermath of Aṣe Yəsḥaq’s Campaign Chapter 6. The Ten Lost Tribes Discovered: Early Encounters with the Jewish World Chapter 7. The Fate of Ethiopia Determined in the Sǝmen: The Islamic Conquest, the Christian Reconquest, and the Sǝmen Betä Ǝsraʾel Chapter 8. A Solomonic Capital Neighbouring the Autonomous Betä Ǝsraʾel Chapter 9. Masada in the Sǝmen: The Wars with Śärṣä Dǝngǝl Chapter 10. The Gideonite Dynasty and the Solomonic Throne Chapter 11. A Last Stand at Sägännät: Susǝnyos and the Final Defeat of the Betä Ǝsraʾel Chapter 12. A New Era: The Gondärine Period Epilogue and Prospects of Future Research Reference List Index

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Author Information

Bar Kribus is an archaeologist at Tel Aviv University, specializing in Ethiopian archaeology and history, with a focus on the archaeology and history of the Betä Ǝsraʾel (Ethiopian Jews).

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