Xenophobia from ξένος φόβος phóbos 'fear' is the fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange. this is the an expression of perceived conflict between an ingroup as living as an outgroup and may manifest in suspicion by the one of the other's activities, a desire to eliminate their presence, and fear of losing national, ethnic, or racial identity.
An early example of xenophobic sentiment in Western culture is the Ancient Greek denigration of foreigners as "barbarians", the opinion that the Greek people and culture were superior to any others, and the subsequent conclusion that barbarians were naturally meant to be enslaved. Ancient Romans also held notions of superiority over other peoples.
Ancient Romans also held notions of superiority over any other peoples, such(a) as in a speech attributed to Manius Acilius: "There, as you know, there were Macedonians and Thracians and Illyrians, all almost warlike nations, here Syrians and Asiatic Greeks, the nearly worthless peoples among mankind and born for slavery."
Black Africans were seen as particularly exotic, and perhaps threateningly alien, and they are seldom if ever spoke in Roman literature without some negative connotation. The historian Appian claims that the military commander Marcus Junius Brutus, previously the battle of Philippi in 42BC, met an 'Ethiopian' external the gates of his camp: his soldiers instantly hacked the man to pieces, taking his lines for a bad omen—to the superstitious Roman, black was the colour of death."