The Three Wise Men are given the names Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar in this Romanesque mosaic from the Basilica of St Apollinarius in Ravenna, Italy.

A Magus (plural Magi, from Latin, via Greek μάγος ; Old English: Mage; from Old Persian maguš) was a member of the Magi tribe from ancient Media, (inhabitants of Persia)[1], who were responsible for the religious and funerary practices. Later they accepted the zoroastrian religion, however, not without changing the original message of its founder, Zarathustra. They became the guardians of religion under the three persian empires. The best known Magi are the "Wise Men from the East", in the Bible. And, of whom Marco Polo wrote that he had seen their graves in what is today the district of Saveh, in Tehran, Iran. In English, the term may refer to a shaman, sorcerer, or wizard; it is the origin of the English words magic and magician. The Three Wise Men are named Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar. ... The Three Wise Men are named Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar. ... The Three Wise Men are given the names Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar in this late 6th century mosaic from the Basilica of St Apollinarius in Ravenna, Italy. ... The name Gaspar can be used as: an alternate spelling of Casper; a males given name a city in Brazil; Gaspar, Santa Catarina a character in Chrono Trigger; Gaspar This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Melchior can refer to One of the Three Wise Men Malchior, a villain in the Teen Titans animated series. ... Balthazar can refer to One of the Three Wise Men A size of wine bottle, equal to 16 standard bottles, or 12 litres A 1909 book by Anatole France A 1958 novel by Lawrence Durrell Balthazar Getty, great grandson of J. Paul Getty Hans Urs von Balthasar - 20th c. ... Romanesque St. ... Mosaic is the art of decoration with small pieces of colored glass, stone or other material. ... St. ... Ravenna is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... See Aryan Language or Old Persian For more information visit: *[Ancient Iranian Languages & Literature The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS) ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... Zoroastrianism, in Persian: آيين زرتشت , Ain-e Zærtosht (in Kurdish: ZerdeÅŸtî ) was once the state religion of Sassanid Persia, and played an important role during the preceding Median, Achaemenid and Parthian eras, while it is considered, by some, to be the oldest monotheistic religion. ... Zarathustra can refer to one of two people: Zarathustra, also spelled Zarathushtra or Zoroaster, was an ancient Iranian prophet, founder of the Zoroastrian religion. ... The Three Wise Men are given the names Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar in this late 6th century mosaic from the Basilica of St Apollinarius in Ravenna, Italy. ... The Bible (Hebrew: תנ״ך tanakh, Greek: η Βίβλος hÄ“ biblos) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Word of God, The Word Scripture, Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the name used by Jews and Christians for their (differing but overlapping) canons of sacred texts. ... Marco Polo (September 15, 1254, Venice, Italy; or Curzola, Venetian Dalmatia - now Korčula, Croatia — January 8, 1324, Venice) was a Venetian trader and explorer who, together with his father Niccolò and his uncle Maffeo, was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China (which he... Map of Iran and surrounding lands, showing location of Tehran The towering Alborz mountains rising above modern Elahiyeh district and its green neighborhoods. ... A shaman doctor of Kyzyl. ... Magic (also called magick to distinguish it from stage magic) is a supposed way of influencing the world through supernatural, mystical, or paranormal means. ... It has been suggested that Mageborn be merged into this article or section. ... Magic or sorcery are terms referring to the alleged influencing of events and physical phenomena by supernatural, mystical, or paranormal means. ...

Etymology

Persian

The Greek word is attested from the 5th century BC (Ancient Greek) as a direct loan from Old Persian maguš. The Persian word is a u-stem adjective from an Indo-Iranian root *magh "powerful, rich" also continued in Sanskrit magha "gift, wealth", magha-vant "generous" (a name of Indra). Avestan has maga, magauuan, probably with the meanings "sacrifice" and "sacrificer". The PIE root (*magh-) appears to have expressed power or ability, continued e.g. in Attic Greek mekhos (cf. mechanics) and in Germanic magan (English may), magts (English might, the expression "might and magic" thus being a figura etymologica). The original significance of the name for the Median priests thus seems to have been "the powerful". Modern Persian Mobed is derived from an Old Persian compound magu-pati "lord priest". (6th century BC - 5th century BC - 4th century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) The 5th and 6th centuries BC are a period of philosophical brilliance among advanced civilizations. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... See Aryan Language or Old Persian For more information visit: *[Ancient Iranian Languages & Literature The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS) ... Indo-Iranian can refer to: The Indo-Iranian languages The prehistoric Indo-Iranian people, see Aryan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम् ; pronunciation : ) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Yasna 28. ... A slice of strawberry-rhubarb pie à la mode A pie is a baked dish, with a baked shell usually made of pastry that covers or completely contains a filling of meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, cheeses, creams, chocolate, custards, nuts, or other sweet or savoury ingredient. ... Attic Greek is the ancient dialect of the Greek language that was spoken in Attica, which includes Athens. ... Mechanics refers to: a craft relating to machinery (from the Latin mechanicus, from the Greek mechanikos, meaning one skilled in machines), or any of a range of disciplines in physics and engineering. ... Figura etymologica describes a rhetorical figure in which words with the same etymological derivation are used adjacently. ... Persian (known variously as: فارسی Fārsi or پارسی Pārsi, local name in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Tajik, a Central Asian dialect, or Dari, another local name in Tajikistan and Afghanistan) is a language spoken in Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... See Aryan Language or Old Persian For more information visit: *[Ancient Iranian Languages & Literature The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS) ...

Greek use of magos

While in Herodotus, magos refers to either a member of the tribe of the Medes (1.101), or to one of the Zoroastrian Persian priests who could interpret dreams (7.37), it could also be used for any enchanter or wizard, and especially to charlatans or quacks (see also goetia), especially by philosphers such as Heraclitus who took a sceptical view of the art of an enchanter, and in comic literature (Lucian's Lucios or the Ass). In Hellenism, magos started to be used as an adjective, meaning "magical", as in magas techne "ars magica" (e.g. used by Philostratus). Bust of Herodotus at Naples Herodotus of Halicarnassus (Greek: , Herodotos) was a historian who lived in the 5th century BC (484 BC-ca. ... The Medes(ancient Kurdistan) were an Iranian people, who lived in the north, western, and northwestern portions of present-day Iran, and roughly the areas of present day Tehran, Hamedan, Azarbaijan, north of Esfahan, Zanjan, and Kurdistan. ... Zoroaster, in a popular Parsi Zoroastrian depiction. ... The Persians are an Iranian people who speak the Persian language and share a common culture and history. ... Goeteia (goēteia, γοητεια) is an Ancient Greek word for magic, witchcraft, jugglery. Goēs means sorcerer or witch. It is probably related to goētēs wailer (Aeschylus, ), ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root *gevh2 shout, howl. During the Renaissance goeteia (Latinized goetia, French goétie, English goety) was... Heraclitus by Johannes Moreelse Heraclitus of Ephesus (Greek Herakleitos) (about 535 - 475 BC), known as The Obscure, was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Ephesus in Asia Minor. ... Lucian Lucian of Samosata (Greek, Λουκιανὸς Σαμοσατεύς, Latin, Lucianus; c. ... The Metamorphoses of Lucius Apuleius, referred to as The Golden Ass (Asinus aureus) by Augustine, is the only Latin novel to survive in its entirety. ... The term Hellenistic (established by the German historian Johann Gustav Droysen) in the history of the ancient world is used to refer to the shift from a culture dominated by ethnic Greeks, however scattered geographically, to a culture dominated by Greek-speakers of whatever ethnicity, and from the political dominance... Philostratus, was the name of several, three (or four), Greek sophists of the Roman imperial period: Philostratus the Athenian (c. ...

English language

The plural Magi entered the English language in ca. 1200, referring to the Magi mentioned in Matthew 2:1, the singular being attested only considerably later, in the late 14th century, when it was borrowed from Old French in the meaning magician together with magic. Events University of Paris receives charter from Philip II of France The Kanem-Bornu Empire was established in northern Africa around the year 1200 Mongol victory over Northern China — 30,000,000 killed Births Al-Abhari, Persian philosopher and mathematician (died 1265) Ulrich von Liechtenstein, German nobleman and poet (died... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... Old French is a term sometimes used to refer to the langue doïl, the continuum of varieties of Romance language spoken in territories corresponding roughly to the northern half of modern France and parts of Belgium and Switzerland during the period roughly from 1000 to 1300 A.D...

History in the Persian Empire

According to Herodotus, the Magi were the sacred caste of the Medes. They organized Persian society after the fall of Assyria and Babylon. Their power was curtailed by Persian Emperor Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, and by his son Cambyses II; the Magi revolted against Cambyses and set up a rival claimant to the throne, one of their own, who took the name of Smerdis. Smerdis and his forces were defeated by the Persians under Darius I. The sect of the Magi continued in Persia, though its influence was limited after this political setback. Bust of Herodotus at Naples Herodotus of Halicarnassus (Greek: , Herodotos) was a historian who lived in the 5th century BC (484 BC-ca. ... Caste systems are traditional, hereditary systems of social stratification. ... The Medes(ancient Kurdistan) were an Iranian people, who lived in the north, western, and northwestern portions of present-day Iran, and roughly the areas of present day Tehran, Hamedan, Azarbaijan, north of Esfahan, Zanjan, and Kurdistan. ... The term Persian Empire refers to a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau. ... Relief from Assyrian capital of Dur Sharrukin, showing transport of Lebanese cedar (8th c. ... Babylon is the Greek variant of Akkadian Babilu (bāb-ilû, meaning Gateway of the god, translating Sumerian Kadingirra), an ancient city in Mesopotamia (modern Al Hillah, Iraq). ... Cyrus the Great Cyrus II of Persia, also known as Cyrus the Great or Cyrus the Elder, (ca. ... The term Persian Empire refers to a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau. ... Cambyses II (Persian Kambujiya), was the name borne by the son of Cyrus the Great. ... Smerdis was a Persian king of infamous memory. ... Darius I of Persia Darius the Great (ca. ...

During the Classical era (555 BC - 300 AD), some Magi migrated westward[2], settling in Greece, and then Italy. For more than a century, Mithraism, a religion derived from Persia, was the largest single religion in Rome. The Magi were likely involved in its practice. Mithra and the Bull: This fresco from the Mithraeum at Marino, Italy (3rd century) shows the tauroctony and the celestial lining of Mithras cape Mithraism (Farsi:آيين مهر Āyīn-e Mehr) was an ancient school of thought prominent from the 7th century BC. It was based on worship of the god...

The Book of Jeremiah (39:3, 39:13) gives a title rab mag "chief magus" to the head of the Magi, Nergal Sharezar (Septuagint, Vulgate and KJV mistranslate Rabmag as a separate character). It's also believed by Christians that the Jewish prophet Daniel was "rab mag" and entrusted a Messianic vision (to be announced in due time by a "star") to a secret sect of the Magi for its eventual fulfillment (Daniel 4:9; 5: 11). For jer, an alternate spelling for the reduced vowels in Common Slavic, see yer. ... The Septuagint (LXX) is the name commonly given in the West to the Koine Greek Alexandrine text of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament) produced some time between the third to first century BC. The Septuagint Bible includes additional books of the old Jewish canon beyond those contained in the... The Vulgate Bible is an early 5th century translation of the Bible into Latin made by St. ... This page is about the version of the Bible; for the Harvey Danger album, see King James Version (album). ...

The Maga in India

The Zoroastrians form a very small religious minority in India, many of whom are Parsis. After invading Arabs succeeded in taking Ctesiphon in 637, Islam largely superseded Zoroastrianism, and the power of the Magi faded. Many (but not all) of the mages fled the advent of Islam in Persia, or Iran, by emigrating to India, settling in western principalities which form the modern states of Gujarat and Maharastra. As one can only be Zoroastrian by birth, the number of Parsis and Zoroastrians in the world is shrinking, and the remaining population risks passing down genetic defects as with any small community. Suffice to say Parsis are very rare, and Magi are even rarer. This article is about (members of) the Parsi Zoroastrian community in and from India. ... Ctesiphon, 1932 Ctesiphon (Parthian: Tyspwn as well as Tisfun) is one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia and the capital of the Parthian Empire and its successor, the Sassanid Empire, for more than 800 years located in the ancient Iranian province of Khvarvaran. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ) is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the Quran. ... Gujarat (Gujarati: , Hindi: ,, IPA ; also spelled Gujrat and sometimes Gujarath). ... Maharashtra (महाराष्ट्र) is a state in west-central India. ... Zoroaster, in a popular Parsi Zoroastrian depiction. ...

In India there is a community termed Maga, Bhojaka or Shakadvipi Brahmins. Their major centers are in Rajasthan in Western India and near Gaya in Bihar. According to Bhavishya Purana and other texts, they were invited to settle in Punjab to conduct the worship of Lord Sun (Mitra or Surya in Sanskrit). Bhavishya Purana explicitly associates them to the rituals of the Zoroastrian faith. Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... The Bhavishya Purana is an ancient Sanskrit text authored by Sri Vyasa Muni, the compiler of the Vedic texts. ... Relief from Taq-i Bostan in Kermanshah, Iran, showing Ardashir II of Sassanid empire at the center receiving his crown from Ahura Mazda. ... This article is in need of attention. ...

The members of the community still worship in Sun temples in India. They are also heriditary priests in several Jain temples in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Bhojakas are mentioned in the copperplates of the Kadamba dynasty (4-6th cent) as managers of Jain institutions. JAIN is an activity within the Java Community Process, developing APIs for the creation of telephony (voice and data) services. ... An ancient royal family of Karnataka, who ruled from their capital of Banavasi, later branched into Goa, Hanagal and Chandavar. ... JAIN is an activity within the Java Community Process, developing APIs for the creation of telephony (voice and data) services. ...

Images of Lord Sun in India are shown wearing a central asian dress, complete with boots. The term "Mihir" in India is regarded to represent the Maga influence.

Fictional magi

The archetype mage is popularly used in fantasy settings that involve magic. Mage, rather than magus, is the spelling usually encountered for magic-user characters in role-playing games and fantasy fiction. An archetype is an idealised model of a person, object, or concept from which similar instances are derived, copied, patterned, or emulated. ... // For other meanings see Fantasy (disambiguation) Fantasy is a genre of art, literature, film, television, games and music that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of either plot, theme, setting, or all three. ... The Magic-User was a character class in early versions of the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. ... A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game in which players assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create narratives. ... The Three Graces, here in a painting by Sandro Botticelli, were the goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility in Greek mythology. ...

Mages are generally portrayed as people who have the ability to control or wield the forces of magic. The term is popularly used in fantasy settings that involve magic, and can be found everywhere in the world of fiction, from pen and paper role-playing games like Mage: The Ascension and Dungeons & Dragons, to computer games such as Ultima, Final Fantasy and World of Warcraft. Magic or sorcery are terms referring to the alleged influencing of events and physical phenomena by supernatural, mystical, or paranormal means. ... Magic: The Gathering. ... Mage: The Ascension is a role-playing game based in the World of Darkness, and is published by White Wolf Game Studio. ... For other uses, see Dungeons & Dragons (disambiguation). ... Ultima is a series of fantasy computer role-playing games from Origin Systems, Inc. ... Final Fantasy (Japanese: Fainaru Fantajī) is a series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ... World of Warcraft (commonly abbreviated as WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Blizzard Entertainment. ...

The D&D Basic Set features cover artwork by Erol Otus. The painting features an element of fantasy games, a magic-user.

Many references to the three magi can be found in various games and shows. For example, in the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime/manga series, a supercomputer (called "MAGI") is divided in three distinct parts, all of which are named after the Magi. Mages are people who have the ability to control or wield the forces of magic. Cover of D & D Basic set box, covered under fair use, original from The Acaeum, used with permission This work is copyrighted, and used with permission. ... Cover of D & D Basic set box, covered under fair use, original from The Acaeum, used with permission This work is copyrighted, and used with permission. ... Erol Otus is an American artist. ... // For other meanings see Fantasy (disambiguation) Fantasy is a genre of art, literature, film, television, games and music that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of either plot, theme, setting, or all three. ... Neon Genesis Evangelion ) is a Japanese animated television series, begun in 1995, directed and written by Hideaki Anno, and produced by Gainax. ... Atom, star of the long-running science fiction series Mighty Atom (also known as Astro Boy to Western audiences). ... For other uses, see Manga (disambiguation). ... A supercomputer is a computer that leads the world in terms of processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation, at the time of its introduction. ...

In the paper role-playing games, magic using individuals appear in Mage: The Ascension and Dungeons & Dragons. In the game Ars Magica, the main characters are known as magi. Mages are sometimes in computer role-playing games as playable character classes and/or NPCs such as Ultima, Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior, Diablo, World of Warcraft and Everquest. Mages aren't always people who perform magic for entertainment. In some games, a mage may also be known as a wizard, sorceress, or witch. A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game in which players assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create narratives. ... Mage: The Ascension is a role-playing game based in the World of Darkness, and is published by White Wolf Game Studio. ... For other uses, see Dungeons & Dragons (disambiguation). ... Ars Magica is a role-playing game set in Mythic Europe, an idealized (or quasi-historical) version of Europe around 1200 AD. The game revolves around magic-using wizards and their allies. ... Computer role-playing games (CRPGs), often shortened to simply (RPGs), are a type of video or computer game that uses traditional gameplay elements found in pen-and-paper role-playing games. ... A character class represents a characters archetype and career in many role-playing games. ... A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a role-playing game whose actions are determined by the gamemaster. ... Ultima is a series of fantasy computer role-playing games from Origin Systems, Inc. ... Final Fantasy (Japanese: Fainaru FantajÄ«) is a series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ... Dragon Quest (Japanese: ドラゴンクエスト), known as Dragon Warrior in North America, is a series of Computer role-playing games created by Enix, now Square Enix. ... Diablo is a hack and slash action-adventure game released by Blizzard Entertainment and developed by Blizzard North, released on November 30, 1996. ... World of Warcraft (commonly abbreviated as WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Blizzard Entertainment. ... EverQuest (A computer game) is a 3D fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that was released on March 16, 1999. ... It has been suggested that Mageborn be merged into this article or section. ... A sorcerer (from Old French sorcier; fem. ... This article is part of the Witchcraft series. ...

In the dystopian future setting of Warhammer 40,000, the title Magos is applied to certain high-ranking members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, a mystical organization that has a monopoly on most forms of advanced technology within the Imperium of Man. Cover of the Warhammer 40,000 4th edition rulebook This article is about the tabletop miniature wargame and the fictional universe in which it is set. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Imperium of Man is a fictional galactic empire that contains the majority of humanity, set in the Warhammer 40K universe created by Games Workshop. ...

In the video game Chrono Trigger, the three Gurus, of Life, Time, and Reason, are also named after the Magi and, through the course of the game, give key items to the player. Furthermore, one of the game's main characters is named Magus, and another Cyrus. Chrono Trigger (クロノ・トリガー) is a role-playing game that was released in Japan on March 11, 1995 for the Super Famicom and in North America on August 22, 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). ... Melchior, the Guru of Life, is a non playable character (NPC) in the Chrono Trigger video game. ... Gaspar, the Guru of Time, is a non playable character (NPC) in the Chrono Trigger video game. ... Belthasar, the Guru of Reason, is a non playable character (NPC) in the Chrono Trigger video game. ... Magus is a fictional character, who is a playable character in Squaresofts Chrono Trigger. ... Cyrus is a non-playable character (NPC) in the Chrono Trigger video game. ...

Mage is also the title of a comic book series created and owned by Matt Wagner. The series' central character, Kevin Matchstick, is drawn into a world of magic and Arthurian legends whilst wielding a mystic baseball bat. Mage: The Hero Defined cover by Matt Wagner Mage is a semi-autobiographical superhero comic book written and illustrated by Matt Wagner. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Matt Wagner is an American writer and artist of comic books. ... King Arthur is an important figure in the mythology of Great Britain, where he appears as the ideal of kingship in both war and peace. ... Rawlings SLLMP Liquidmetal Plasma Senior League Baseball Bat A baseball bat is a smooth rod, often but not always wooden, used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. ...

The character John Constantine from the Hellblazer graphic novels is sometimes referred to as a magus. Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Hellblazer John Constantine (Born 1953 in Liverpool England) is the protagonist of the comic series Hellblazer. ... Hellblazer is a comic book series published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics, which features the central character John Constantine. ...

The Manga series Negima! Magister Negi Magi is the story of a young wizard in training to become a Magister Magi. Negima: Magister Negi Magi (魔法先生ネギま! Mahō Sensei Negima; in English Magical Teacher Negima) is a manga and anime series by Ken Akamatsu, known for his best selling title, Love Hina, which contains a large amount of Fan service/ecchi scenes. ...

See also

• Simon Magus

Simon Magus, also known as Simon the Sorcerer and Simon of Gitta, is the name used by the ancient Christian Orthodoxy to refer to someone they identified as a Samaritan (Proto-)Gnostic, and, also according to ancient Christian Orthodoxy, founder of his own religious sect. ...

External links

• The Majoos (Urdu)
• The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
• The Chaldean MagiThe Complete Online Library of Ancient Sources.