In light of Evola's espousal of a spiritual Aryan racism claiming
pre-modern, non-Anglo-Saxon origins, the following is exceedingly
relevant and interesting, in spite of its liberal-academic bias:
http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/eras/edition_6/noellarticle.htm
Race in Late-Antique Egypt : Moses the Black and Authentic
Historical Voice[1]
Brian Noell
(Yale University)
Abstract
The early-sixth century collection of monastic wisdom in Greek known
as The Sayings of the Desert Fathers contains the following anecdote
about Moses, a black man who became a famous ascetic at Scetis in
the desert of Lower Egypt:
It was said of Abba Moses that he was ordained and the ephod was
placed upon him. The archbishop said to him, "See Abba Moses, now
you are entirely white." The old man said to him, "It is true of the
outside, lord and father, but what about Him who sees the inside?"
The text continues:
Wishing to test him the archbishop said to the priests, "When Abba
Moses comes into the sanctuary, drive him out and go with him to
hear what he says." So the old man came in and they covered him with
abuse, and drove him out saying, "Outside black man (Aethiops)!"
Going out he said to himself, "They have acted rightly concerning
you, for your skin is as black as ashes. You are not a man, so why
should you be allowed to meet men?"[2]
This account is compelling because it is a rare case in which the
actual disposition of ancient people toward race seems to be
revealed. On the one hand, typical attitudes appear to be reflected
in the mock rejection of Moses. On the other, Moses' apparent self-
loathing based on his skin colour seems to give us a glimpse of how
black people in the late-Roman Empire might have seen themselves. It
is not surprising, therefore, that scholars have repeatedly noted
this incident in their studies of race and racism in the late-
antique Mediterranean.
[...]