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The region's pre-colonial history has been used either to demonstrate Ethiopia's legitimate historical control of much of what is now Eritrea, or to refute this older, more 'traditional', perception and to prove that Eritrea was at no time an integral part of a 'greater Ethiopian/Abyssinian empire'.

The first known inhabitants of Eritrea are the Kunama and Nara about 3500 B.C. The 'Land of Punt' is believed to be in this part of the world. Around 2000 BC the Beja people from southern Egypt entered Eritrea. The first inscriptions in Geez alphabet date from 800 B.C.

Background. The Italians colonised Eritrea in 1882 and ruled it until 1941. In 1936, Italy invaded Ethiopia and declared it part of their colonial empire, which they called Italian East Africa. Italian Somaliland and Eritrea were also part of that entity, ruled by a Governor-General or Viceroy.

Eritrea was officially declared an Italian colony on January 1, 1890, by the royal decree of Umberto I. Italy's presence in Eritrea started when an Italian monk purchased land in Assab on behalf of an Italian shipping company in 1869.

In 1840, Egypt occupied the lowland of Eritrea. In 1872, the Egyptians displaced the Turks and ruled the Eritrean Red Sea coast. During the period of 1872-1882, Eritrea was under the colonial rule of Egypt.