Moorish cavalry under Lusius Quietus fighting in the Dacian Wars, from the Column of Trajan -- 2nd Century. Moors existed before any muslim identity. The Moors were known to the Greeks and Romans. The Moors fought in the Punic Wars.

There are dozens of Greco-Roman artifacts that are labelled the head of an African. Many of these heads resemble the Moorish Cavalry from the Column of Trajan. (0-2 CE)

Young African, Hellenistic Greece

Ancient Near Eastern. Head of a Man with Tight, Curly Hair, late 2nd century B.C.E. Marble, "Bigio Morata". I added the image of the Moorish cavalry for comparison.

Roman period

1stC BC-1stC -- Moorish Acrobat

Bronze figurine of a Moorish cavalryman 100 CE

More Roman era Bronzes

St Zeno of Verona was a native of Mauritania and for this reason he is often still referred to as 'the Black Bishop'. He was the bishop of Verona from 362 to 380, the year of his death. The statue dates back to the 12th century.

Roman bronze oil bottle in the form of the head of an African. 1st-3rd CE, Split Archaeological Museum

A mosaic of a Moor with a prosthetic leg

Two Soldiers Leading Two Moors Before A King
attributed to Vidal de Canellas and Michael Lupi de Çandiu
​about 1290-1310, Northeastern Spain from Vidal Mayor manuscript

Crusaders fighting Saracens. Chroniques de France ou de St Denys. France; early 15th century.

Tournament Scene (detail) 1440s Fresco Palazzo Ducale, Mantua

Aaron the Moor from Titus Adronicus another Moorish tragedy like Othello. This story takes place during the Roman Empire.

In regards to the ancient Libyans (Moors/Berbers). This fake illustration was made by Heinrich von Minutoli in the 19th century. In many of the tombs the images are damaged and original colors washed

Seti I battle against the Libyans. The image on the left is a European replica. The one on the right is the original with no color at the Temple of Karnak.

Close up of Tut’s footstool featuring Libyans (brown skin), Ta-Nehesy/Nubians (dark skin), and Asiatics (brown skin).

Egyptian priests during the Roman era. The priests of Egypt would be completely clean shaven including the eyebrows.

Byzantine mosaic of Egyptians in Saint Mark's Basilica in Venice (12th-14th century)

Octateuch Bible fol. 65 v: Joseph, wearing a crown, gives audience to three black Egyptians. Byzantine (c. 1000) Illumination on Parchment

Two Swordsmen Fighting --Italy (c. 1040). Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Vercelli, Piemont. The man on the left is probably a Norman crusader because he has a kite shield. The Moor on the right is most likely muslim since he has on a white turban.

The ancient Egyptians used color symbolism in a lot of their art. Greeks and Romans would copy the color symbolism and burial culture of the Egyptians. When these losers show you images of Egyptian women depicted yellow or white it is symbolic. While red was associated with men.

Probably 15th century illustration of Moorish people. The one on the left reads a "Moor from Arabia" and the one on the right reads "An Arab or Moor from Barbaria". This is from the German translation. The German substituted the Latin "Aethiops" with the German "Mohr".

15th century illustration of the Moors. The bottom image is a scene of the 3 magi submitting to the anti-Christ which one of the kings is typically represented as a Moorish king. The top image shows Moors followed by Blemmyes (Beja ppl).

Two Roman authors claimed the Beja to be headless men most likely a diss saying they are brainless and barbarians which is why they are depicted as inhuman figures. Add onto the fact they are marching to the Anti-Christ with the Moors. This is a precursor to the Baphomet image.

As most should know the European Christians associated Islam with evil and idolatry. Baphomet becoming a corruption of Mahomet. The image illustrates the author's fear of conversion associated with a foreign religion.

Going back to the Roman era, the Moors were knowns as Hesperians and Garamantes these are the ancient berbers of North Africa. Isidore of Seville mentions that there are three tribes of Ethiopians. Indians of the East, Garamantes of Tripoli, and Hesperii of the West.

The Ethiopians were associated with the sun since they were dark skinned ppl thought to be scorched by the Sun. From the sunrise (Indian Ocean) and to the sunset (Hesperia/Mauritanaia) was the region of Ethiopia. The Hesperians were the Ethiopians opposite to Spain said Isidore

The Maghreb means the West or place of sunset. The Maghreb is Hesperia. The Hesperians were Maghrebis, the Ethiopians of where the Sun sets.

Ethiopia & Ethiopian were all embracing terms for Africa & African people. Hesperia was geographical. These same Hesperians, Mauritanians, and Garamantians were called Libyans as the region was known as Libya. The ancient Libyans were Ethiopians. Just like the Egyptians.

Libyan, Phoenician, Egyptian, Garamantian, Mauritanian, etc are just names that were used to distinguish Ethiopians and to also be specific. For example, natives of Los Angeles are Californians who are Americans. The natives of Mauritania are Libyans who are Ethiopians.

Going more into pre-Islamic history of the Moors. I will have to discuss the Phoenicians, Carthage, and how some of the place names relate to Africans. Atakarthah (Mali) resembles Carthage. Cadiz (Gades), Spain founded by Phoenicians is similar to Agadez, Azuaga is Zaghawa, etc.