Gen 10:1-32 The Book of Genesis states that the colonisation of the Aegean and Anatolia, Ethiopia and Arabia was by people of Mesopotamian descent. The kingdom of Cush (Ethiopia), for instance, was settled by people from Mesopotamia (in c.2980BC). The writer of Genesis states that all these nations are descended from Noah through his three sons - Japheth, Ham and Shem (see Map 36).
Map 36 Nations of the Ancient World
According to the author of Genesis, the descendants of Japheth (Indo-European peoples of the Aegean and Anatolia) included:
Gomer (Cimmerians) Madai (Medes)
Javan (Ionians) Meshech (Muski)
Ashkenaz (Scythians) Elishah (from Alasia in Cyprus)
Tarshish (from Tyre in Phoenicia)
Kittim (from Cyprus) Rodanim (from Rhodes)
The descendants of Ham (African peoples of Ethiopia and Arabia
included those from:
Cush (Ethiopia) Sheba (Saba in southern Arabia)
Dedan (Northern Arabia) Mizraim (Egypt)
Ludim (Lydia) Caphtorim (Cretans)
Put (Libya)
The Semitic peoples, descended from Shem, remained in Mesopotamia and the neighbouring areas. They included those from:
Elam (South east Mesopotamia) Asshur (Assyria)
Sheba (Saba in southern Arabia) Lud (probably Lydia)
Hazzarmaueth (Hadramaut in southern Arabia)
Aram (Aramaeans)