Debre Zebit was the location of the Battle of Anchem, on 31 March 1930 between (then) RasTafari's forces under the command of DejazmachMulugeta Yeggazu (which consisted of 20,000 riflemen with 6 cannons and about 30 machine guns) over those of Ras Gugsa Welle (consisting of 10,000 riflemen with 2 cannons and about 10 machine guns). Ras Gugsa was defeated and killed.[1]