The Definition of the word Candace

Candace

The queen of the Ethiopians whose eunuch" or chamberlain was" converted to Christianity by the instrumentality of Philip the evangelist (Acts 8:27). The country which she ruled was called "by the Greeks Meroe, in Upper Nubia. It was long the centre of" "commercial intercourse between Africa and the south of Asia, and" hence became famous for its wealth (Isa. 45:14). "It is somewhat singular that female sovereignty seems to have "prevailed in Ethiopia, the name Candace (compare "Pharaoh," "Ptolemy, "Caesar") being a title common to several successive" queens. It is probable that Judaism had taken root in Ethiopia "at this time, and hence the visit of the queen's treasurer to" Jerusalem to keep the feast. There is a tradition that Candace was herself converted to Christianity by her treasurer on his "return, and that he became the apostle of Christianity in that" "whole region, carrying it also into Abyssinia. It is said that" "he also preached the gospel in Arabia Felix and in Ceylon, where" he suffered martyrdom. (See [95]PHILIP.)