Geography

Alternative Names for Nubia

Three terms for Nubia are used in ancient sources; these are Ethiopia, Kush, Nubia, and recently Sudan

Ethiopia:

In Biblical and Hellenistic sources, the region of Nubia is named "Ethiopia" and is spelled, in some instances, as "Aethiopia". Contemprary historians misreferenced the land of ancient Ethiopia to the modern "Republic of Ethiopia". Recent researches and careful examination of ancient sources indicated the actual location of ancient Ethiopia to be within the political boundries of the modern "Republic of Sudan".

Kush:

The ancient Nubians referred to their land as "Kas" of which the name "Kush" has descended. The name "Kush", as opposed to "Ethiopia", is found in some Biblical sources and sometimes is spelled as "Cush".

Nubia:

The name "Nubia", which is widely used to designate the people of Kush, is synonymous with the terms "Nobae" or "Noba". The later were Nilo-Saharan people who dominated Kush beginning in the third century AD. Since "Nubia" was a source of gold to the ancient Egyptians, some historians speculate that the term may have originated from the Egyptian word "Nub" meaning "gold".

Sudan:

The original term "Sudd", from which the modern term "Sudan" is derived, refers to a vast expanse of floating water plants or swamps. The earliest mention of the word "Sudd" in reference to modern Sudan appear in the writings of Seneca, who recorded an expedition sent by the Roman Emperor Nero to central Sudan.
Later in history, Arab writers, unaware of the origin of the word "Sudan", interpreted the term as being derived from the Arabic word "Soud", meaning "Blacks".