Assassin's Creed Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Giovanni Auditore da Firenze

2012-05-05T22:00:39Z

71.255.32.213:

{{Era|AC2|ACBh|PL|Renaissance|ACL|Assassins|Featured}}
{{WPAssassins}}
{{Quote|I am Giovanni Auditore, and like my ancestors before me, I am an Assassin.|Giovanni Auditore.|Assassin’s Creed: Lineage}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Giovanni Auditore da Firenze
|image = Zw-giovanniauditore.png
|imgdesc =
|birth = 1436<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> [[Monteriggioni]], [[Italy]]
|death = December 1476 (aged 40)<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> [[Florence]], Italy
|period = [[Renaissance]]
|faction = [[House of Auditore]] [[Assassins]] [[House of Medici]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' {{fb}}
|actor = [[Romano Orzari]]
|voice = [[Romano Orzari]]}}

'''Giovanni Auditore da Firenze''' (1436 – 1476) was a [[Florence|Florentine]] nobleman, and head of the [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]] in Florence. A banker working for the [[House of Medici|Medici family]], Giovanni's true nature as an [[Assassins|Assassin]] was known only to a few. Raised and trained along with his brother [[Mario Auditore|Mario]] from birth to be an Assassin, Giovanni had been aware of the [[Templars|Templar Order]] for almost all of his life.

Giovanni was also the husband of [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria Auditore]], and father to [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]], [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]], [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|Claudia]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]]. He sought to induct his children into the Order, but had only revealed his allegiance to his wife by the time of his death; despite this, he had already begun to train his eldest son in the Assassin ways, albeit secretively.

==Biography==
===Early years===
{{quote|Tu sei un Auditore. Sei un combattente. Perciò combatti! (You are an Auditore. You are a fighter. So fight!)|Giovanni speaking to Ezio at his birth.|Assassin's Creed II}}
The second son, or grandson, of [[Ilario Auditore]], Giovanni was born in [[Monteriggioni]], in 1436, two years after his elder brother Mario. From an early age, both Giovanni and his brother were taught the [[The Creed|ways of the Assassins]], although Giovanni was also tutored in banking and other subjects as well.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

With time, Giovanni left the [[Villa Auditore|family Villa]] and joined Ilario in Florence, where he was serving as Gonfaloniere to Cosimo de' Medici. In 1452, Giovanni met and married Maria de' Mozzi, to whom he revealed himself to be an Assassin. After four years, their first son Federico was born, followed by Ezio in 1459, Claudia in 1461, and Petruccio in 1463.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Sometime in 1454, Giovanni also aided the members of his Brotherhood in dealing with [[the Shroud]]. After Mario uncovered the artifact under Monteriggioni, he summoned his brother to bring it out of the city, and into the protection of the Order.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

Giovanni also eventually revealed to [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], his patron, his true nature as an Assassin, and undertook several missions for him behind the back of his own children. In 1476, Giovanni tracked down [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Master]] of the [[Templars]], in a Florentine alleyway.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage">''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''</ref>

Although Giovanni managed to eliminate two of his bodyguards, and incapacitate the third, Rodrigo escaped. The Assassin handed the third guard over to [[Uberto Alberti]], the Gonfaloniere of justice, for questioning.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage" />

===Pursuing Rodrigo Borgia===
[[File:Giovanniassassin.png|thumb|left|220px|Giovanni in his Assassin garb.]]
Through torture, the bodyguard revealed that [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], the Duke of [[Milan]] was to be assassinated by the Templars, and Giovanni was quickly sent to prevent this. Though he arrived too late to save the Duke, Giovanni was able to eliminate some of his murderers whilst the Duke’s bodyguards killed the rest. With all the assassins dead, Giovanni searched the corpse of [[Giovanni Andrea Lampugnani]], and found a pouch of coins stamped with the seal of [[Venice]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

Arriving in Venice, Giovanni infiltrated the [[Basilica di San Marco]], and eavesdropped on a group of men conversing in a nearby room. [[Marco Barbarigo|The]] [[Silvio Barbarigo|two]] men then dispatched a courier, with a message for their master in [[Rome]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

Giovanni chose to pursue the courier, before finally confronting him in a secluded area. After a lengthy battle, he overpowered and pinned down the courier, his [[hidden blade]] to the man’s throat. Refusing to answer his questions, the courier impaled himself on the blade, leaving Giovanni frustrated, albeit with a letter sealed with the crest of the [[House of Barbarigo]]. Returning to Florence, Giovanni presented the letter to Lorenzo de' Medici, although they found that it was encoded.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

That night, Giovanni was summoned to meet with Lorenzo and Uberto. Before leaving, Maria reminded her husband that their son, Ezio, who was watching them from behind a nearby haystack, was becoming suspicious of his banker father having to leave the [[Palazzo Auditore|Palazzo]] at night so often. Giovanni promised that he would speak with him soon, and then left.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

Arriving at the meeting, Uberto falsely claimed that Father [[Antonio Maffei]] had been unable to decrypt the letter, thus, the only course of action was for Giovanni to deliver the letter himself. Giovanni agreed, and headed for Rome with a copy of the letter in hand.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

[[File:Giovanni's fight.jpg|thumb|280px|Giovanni defending himself from the ambush.]]
In Rome, he delivered the letter, and followed it until it reached the hands of Rodrigo Borgia. Giovanni followed Rodrigo into [[Basilica di San Pietro]], where the two finally exchanged words. Rodrigo remarked his respect for the Assassin's skills, and offered him the chance to join the Templar Order, and live to see the "[[New World Order|new world]]."<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

Giovanni refused, and was subsequently attacked by a number of Rodrigo's henchmen. Despite being heavily outnumbered, he prevailed, although a [[Throwing knives|knife thrown]] by Rodrigo wounded him gravely, and allowed the Templar the opportunity to escape.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

Returning home, Giovanni had his wife tend his wound, and confessed that he feared the assassination of the Duke of Milan had only been the beginning of a much wider conspiracy. Before he could go on however, the two were interrupted by their son Federico, who warned that Father Maffei had arrived with armed guards. Asking his son to provide him cover, Giovanni slipped out of the palazzo through a secret passage within the fireplace.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

===Betrayal and execution===
{{Quote|You are the traitor, [[Uberto Alberti|Uberto]] - and one of them! You may take our lives this day, but we will have yours in return, I swear! We will-|Giovanni's final words.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:LMS 1 v.png|thumb|left|250px|Giovanni and his sons at the execution.]]
At some point after this, Giovanni found evidence suggesting [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] had committed murder, and he thus had Uberto Alberti arrest him. As a result, Francesco's son [[Vieri de' Pazzi|Vieri]] developed an intense rivalry with Ezio Auditore.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Following a brawl the two had on the [[Ponte Vecchio]], Giovanni scolded his son for his behavior, although he noted that it reminded him of himself when he was younger. He then tasked Ezio with delivering a letter to Lorenzo, but was surprised to learn that Lorenzo had left the city for a short while. Undeterred, Giovanni had Ezio deliver several more letters, as well as pick up a letter from a [[Pigeon coops|pigeon coop]] near the [[Piazza della Signoria]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Whilst his son was away, however, armed guards sent by Uberto suddenly invaded the Palazzo Auditore and arrested Giovanni and his two other sons, taking them to be imprisoned in the tower of the Piazza della Signoria. Before long, Ezio had managed to climb the clock tower, where Giovanni told his son to empty his chest in the room behind the fireplace, and retrieve the evidence exonerating him and his family. Ezio did so, and delivered the evidence to Uberto that night.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

The next day however, Giovanni was shocked to find Uberto and Rodrigo Borgia together, with Uberto denying ever receiving any evidence. Giovanni and his sons were then sentenced to death on the grounds of treason. A horrified Ezio, watching from below, cried out that Uberto was lying, but was unable to prevent his father's hanging.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Hours later, Giovanni's corpse was to be disposed of in the Arno, though Ezio was able to retrieve his, Federico's and Petruccio's bodies, and give them a [[Last Rites (Brotherhood)|proper funeral]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

==Legacy==
{{quote|My dear sons, dark skies are rising over Florence and time is running low. The enemy is closer than I thought. Now, the final battle is about to unfold. Every man is mortal, every life bounds to an end but certain things will never change. Federico and Ezio, my sons, always remember: WE are the Auditore da Firenze and WE are Assassins.|Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Assassin's Creed: Lineage}}

Despite his death, Giovanni's actions would have lasting consequences for his surviving son: Ezio Auditore.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Having prepared for a turn of events similar to what ultimately happened, Giovanni had arranged for his live-in servant [[Annetta]] to take his wife and daughter to her sister's establishment, where they would be safe. There, Annetta's sister [[Paola]], a [[courtesan]] Giovanni had previously represented in court, and introduced into the Assassin's Order, provided Ezio with some basic training in blending, and gave him the skills necessary to execute his revenge on Uberto Alberti before he left the city.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

When Ezio arrived in [[Monteriggioni]], his uncle Mario was shocked to discover that his brother had never told Ezio of his Assassin heritage, or that Giovanni himself had indeed been an Assassin. Despite this, Ezio soon vowed to take up his fathers work, which included locating what remained of the [[Codex]], and to avenge his death with the blood of Rodrigo Borgia and his Templar allies.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

In 1510, Ezio discovered a letter by Giovanni written in 1458, referencing [[Altaïr's library]], setting in motion his search for knowledge.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>

==Personality and traits==
{{Quote|There will come a day in which men no longer cheat each other. And on that day we will see what mankind is truly capable of.|Giovanni Auditore.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
[[File:Giovanniac2ingame.jpg|thumb|200px|Giovanni behind his desk, talking to Ezio.]]
Giovanni was trained from birth in the Assassin ways, alongside his brother Mario. Despite this mutual upbringing, the two parted ways later in life due to a philosophical divide over how to live their lives. Giovanni, who had been tutored in banking, preferred to live a calmer life, whereas Mario wished to live a life with more action. This divide eventually led to the two brothers losing touch with one another; to such a degree that upon his arrival in Monteriggioni in 1476, Ezio Auditore was unaware who exactly his uncle was.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

The divide also affected how Giovanni brought up his children, with none of them explicitly knowing of their heritage; however, although his children were unaware of his true nature, Giovanni did allow others to know of it, trusting in their secrecy. Among these were many of Giovanni's contacts within the [[mercenaries]], [[courtesans]] and [[thieves]] guilds, who knew the Assassin by name, suggesting a certain degree of mutual-trust between them.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Despite never telling his children of their heritage, Giovanni did work to prepare them for life as an Assassin. By the time of his death, he had already begun preparing his eldest son, Federico, in the Assassin ways, and was preparing to begin training Ezio as well. A strict father, Giovanni nonetheless showed great affection for his children, and saw a younger version of himself in their antics at times.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Giovanni was a skilled warrior, and proved able to hold his own against a number of opponents in combat with relative ease, armed only with a sword and his hidden blade. He was also a competent [[Free Running|free runner]], much like his sons, and would often use the skill when shadowing a target.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

==Trivia==
*Giovanni knew about Ezio's [[Eagle Vision]], although it is unknown if he too possessed the skill.
*Giovanni leaves his Assassin outfit behind for Ezio to find; however, in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'', it lacks the characteristic eagle's beak on the hood, as well as several other details.
*The [[sword]] Giovanni left behind for Ezio is the common sword, but in the cutscene where Giovanni is killed, it is replaced by an old [[Syrian sword]].
*Giovanni died at the age of forty, the same age Ezio turned when he confronted Rodrigo Borgia in Rome.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]'', Giovanni is the last member of the Auditore family to be hanged. He calls Uberto a traitor and that their deaths will be avenged, among other things, before walking towards the gallows and meeting his fate. In ''Assassin's Creed II'', he is killed before he can finish his sentence.
*The hidden blade bracer Giovanni used and passed on to Ezio was replaced in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' after the [[Fall of Monteriggioni]], and is not seen subsequently. However, years later, [[Desmond Miles]] receives a bracer identical to it in modern times.
*Giovanni is briefly mentioned in ''Revelations'' and the Novel.

==Gallery==

<center><gallery captionalign="left" widths="180">
File:Giovannilineage2.png|Giovanni in his usual clothes.
File:Giovanni lineage 1.png|Giovanni in his Assassin robes.
Screen shot 3.14.png|Giovanni walking the streets of Florence.
giovanni.JPG|Concept Art of Giovanni Auditore da Firenze
</gallery></center>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Auditore, Giovanni}}

[[es:Giovanni Auditore]][[ru:Джованни Аудиторе да Фиренце]][[de:Giovanni Auditore]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Lineage Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Renaissance Characters]]
[[Category:Assassins]]

Isu

2012-05-05T21:26:32Z

71.255.32.213:

{{Era|AC1|AC2|ACB|ACR|AC3|AC4|AC5|Renaissance|Bbook|Rbook|TWCB|Featured}}
{{Quote|We simply came… before.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Trio 1.png|thumb|250px|Three representatives of the First Civilization; Juno, Minerva and Jupiter.]]

The '''First Civilization''',<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref><ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref> more informally known as '''Those Who Came Before''',<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref> were an ancient and advanced species of humanoid beings, among the first to call Earth their home.

They were responsible for the creation of the [[Pieces of Eden]], as well as the [[Humans|human race]] itself, whom they used as a domestic workforce. With early humans unable to comprehend the First Civilization for what they truly were, they were looked upon as gods.

Eventually, [[Human-First Civilization War|war]] broke out between the First Civilization and their now unoppressed human slaves; this, coupled with the onset of what would be referred to as the "[[Toba catastrophe]]", would see the First Civilization slip into extinction, though their legacy would live on for thousands of years.

==Physical description==
The First Civilization were anatomically similar to humans, although they were taller and their skulls were approximately 30% larger. It is theorized that their larger skulls housed bigger brains, which could explain why they possessed six senses, allowing for a more sophisticated perception of space and time. One theory is that skulls from archeological sites around Boskop, South Africa, give fossil evidence of their existence<ref name="Encyclopedia" />.

Along with this, the First Civilization also had a longer lifespan, and evidence of their passing can be found throughout the planet; not only in the ruins of their lost civilization, but also in ancient myths and legends<ref name="Encyclopedia" />.

==History==
===Creation of humanity===
{{Quote|We built you in our own image, we built you to survive.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Eden-Slaves-Workshop.png|thumb|250px|left|A member of the First Civilization using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans.]]

Native to Earth and a product of thousands of years of evolution, the origins of the First Civilization are unclear. [[Minerva]] simply stated that they "came before," and were responsible for the creation of humanity, forming the species in their own image to be a capable, but docile workforce.

While Minerva noted that they built humanity to survive, it was made known by [[Juno]] that they were not intended to be wise, thereby ensuring obedient and resilient cattle to suit their needs.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

Research by [[Clay Kaczmarek]] seemed to suggest that the First Civilization radically altered the genetic make-up of a pre-existing species on the planet to create humanity, fashioning them to be similar to their "gods", and therefore leaving a large gap in terms of transitional species between archaic {{Wiki|Hominidae|hominids}} and modern humans. By 1997, the [[Templars]] had taken note of this and had arranged for fake skeletons to be planted in Ethiopia, so as to limit human exposure to the possibility of the existence of the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

In order to assure the control of humanity, various technologies were created by the ancient but advanced race, named Pieces of Eden, which tapped into a neuro-transmitter located deep within the human brain. However, there were some humans born without the neuro-transmitter, hypothesized by Clay to be hybrids of the First Civilization and humans, and could subsequently live without being controlled through such means.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===War and catastrophe===
{{Quote|When we were still flesh, and our homes still whole, your kind betrayed us. We who made you, we who gave you life.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}

Instigated by the theft of an Apple of Eden by [[Adam]] and [[Eve]], the human rebellion soon erupted into full scale war with their "gods"<ref name="Encyclopedia" />. While the First Civilization were more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers; most likely outnumbering their creators by the millions, far too much for the Pieces of Eden to effectively handle.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

The war did eventually end, although with casualties were greater than the First Civilization could have ever anticipated. The distraction of war had blinded them to all else, and their preoccupation with the war prevented them from seeing the signs of an impending danger from the "heavens".

By the time it was made aware to them, it was already too late. [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Lucy Stillman]] later theorized that this danger could have been a massive solar flare that flipped the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity and making the planet geologically unstable. This hypothesis was supported by evidence found by Clay:
*"Near the day of purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. - Hopi"
*"A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans. - Hopi"
*"They died in the fire from the heavens."
*"75ka was not a volcano."<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Aftermath===
{{Quote|You may not comprehend us, but you will comprehend our warning. […] And as life returned to the world, we endeavored to ensure that this tragedy would not be repeated.|Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Earth post catastrophe.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Earth, following the catastrophe.]]

While both races survived the catastrophe, few of either species remained. Working together, they rebuilt their world, though humanity continued to view Minerva's kind as gods. Despite their survival, the First Civilization were unable to fully recover and began heading toward extinction.

They knew however, that the catastrophe which had burned their world before would eventually reoccur, and so they took steps to prevent it, by recording a holographic, yet interactive, message to serve as a warning to those who entered the Vault in [[Rome]]. In it, Minerva warned of the impending doom, and spoke of the [[Temples]] that could save Earth from destruction, built by those who "knew to turn away from war."<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Delivering their message to the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Desmond Miles]], who was viewing the memories of his ancestor [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], Minerva warned that time was short, and that "the Cross" would stand in their way. With the deliverance of that message, one of the last remaining vestiges of the First Civilization faded away.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

==Characteristics==
[[File:Juno.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Juno was highly opinionated over humanity.]]{{Quote|The rest is up to you, Desmond.|Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.|Assassin's Creed II}}

The First Civilization were a technologically advanced and powerful race, who seemed to possess precognitive abilities, either natural or technological. This was proven during Minerva's conversation with Ezio Auditore, within the [[Vatican Vault]] hidden underneath the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]].

Minerva revealed that Ezio was simply a conduit, which allowed Minerva to speak to Desmond Miles, who was viewing his ancestor's memories. Furthermore, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad|Altaïr]] mentioned in his [[Codex]] that the Piece of Eden he possessed not only contained a catalogue of past events, but also future events, implying that the Pieces held predictions made by the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

It is also apparant that they had connections with many of Earth's religions, and likely influenced their developments directly. During her warning to Desmond, Minerva made mention of her former names, as well of those of her fellow "gods"; Merva, Uni and Tinia, who later became known as Minerva, Juno and [[Jupiter]], respectively. Their former names corresponded to the Etruscan Triad of Deities, while the latter are the names of their Roman counterparts, who make up the {{Wiki|Capitoline Triad}}. This shift in names may be indicative of why various religions have numerous similarities, as they are all based on the story of the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

As a species, the First Civilization were anatomically similar to their human creations, though unlike humanity, who were created with only five senses, members of the First Civilization possessed six; the sixth being "knowledge".<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/> First Civilization individuals were also somewhat taller than humans, with a brain size around thirty percent larger, which may well have accounted for their extra sense.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />

Following the catastrophe that set the First Civilization on the path to extinction, a concerted effort was made to pass on this sixth sense to humanity, their "final, faultered hope." Ultimately however, they failed; though humanity could ''"see the blue shimmer'' [and] ''hear the words,"'' they did not fully possess the "knowledge" of their creators, convincing some, like Juno, that humanity should have simply been left as they were.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

==Legacy==
{{Quote|They're gifts, Mr. Miles. From those who came before.|Dr. [[Warren Vidic]].|Assassin's Creed}}

Despite the mark they left behind on Earth, the First Civilization faded into obscurity rather rapidly after their decline. However, the inability of humans to comprehend their creators as anything but gods did allow for their names and characteristics at least, to live on.

The lack of evidence for their existence did not prevent select groups of humans along time from uncovering their true nature however, as by the 12th century, the Knights Templar had a limited understanding of the nature of those who had lived before.<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/> Indeed, the 20th century technology used to view the genetic memories of one's ancestor – the [[Animus]] – was based on technology utilized by the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

The Templars also knew of the existence of the Pieces of Eden, and regarded them as gifts left behind by the First Civilization for them to utilize.<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/> This situation was in significant contrast to the situation in the 15th century, where it had been the Assassins who knew explicitly of the existence of the pre-existing species, whilst the [[Grand Master]] of the Templars, [[Rodrigo Borgia]], merely believed the Vault to be the location of God himself.

This changed however, and five hundred years later, the Order of Assassins knew next to nothing of the First Civilization's existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Though various religious beliefs seem to have been based on aspects and misinterpretations of the First Civilization, their existence was largely unknown to humanity.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> As early as the 12th century, both the Assassins and the Knights Templar knew that the focus of human religions, the gods, did not truly exist, and that miracles and other supernatural occurrences were simply manifestations of the powers of the Pieces of Eden, devices created by the First Civilization to control the Human race. However, it is unclear if the Assassins and Templars understood the origin of the artifacts at that time.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>

By the 15th century, at least one Templar, Rodrigo Borgia, was aware of the existence, if not the nature, of the First Civilization; he mistakenly believed that the Vatican Vault hidden beneath the Sistine Chapel housed a living God.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Knowledge===
The first known instance of a human becoming aware of their existence following their disappearance was that of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who made mention of them in his [[Codex]]. However, it would not be until the year 1499 that humanity would encounter the First Civilization again, when the Assassin Ezio Auditore encountered a hologram of a being calling herself Minerva in the Vault located underneath the Vatican.

Even though Ezio told his fellow Assassins of Minerva, they still did not understand her true nature, and Ezio himself showed great difficulty in understanding Minerva's explanation of her existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

By 2012, the Templars in [[Abstergo Industries]] had a greater understanding of the true nature of the First Civilization, and the Assassins seen in this time period had suspicions about them as well, which were confirmed when Desmond relived Ezio's memories.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

Through Desmond's experiences, the Assassins were aware of three separate beings: Minerva, Juno and [[Jupiter]];<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> whilst it is unsure if, by that point, they still retained their previous knowledge of [[Consus]].<ref name="Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

===Bloodline===
{{Quote|Why do we have these gifts, these abilities? Because it's in our blood! […] The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!|Clay Kaczmarek|Assassin's Creed II}}

[[William Miles]] stated one person in ten million would have a high concentration of First Civilization DNA.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref> The individual known as Clay Kaczmarek at one point theorized that the true reason behind the [[Eagle Vision|abilities]] of some Assassins was genetic, suggesting a lineage including both human and creator blood.

Clay's own [[The Truth|genetic memories]] indicated him to be a direct descendant of both Adam and Eve, suggesting that his bloodline, if not many more, would all have access to these abilities. Indeed, Altaïr, Ezio, Clay Kaczmarek and Desmond Miles all possessed Eagle Vision, while Ezio and Altaïr both showed themselves resistant to the effects of the Apple, as well as [[Leonardo da Vinci]], suggesting he too had some amount of First Civilization DNA. [[Giovanni Borgia]] was also another Assassin who possessed Eagle Vision, hinting that his father, [[Perotto Calderon]], may have also had First Civilization DNA.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>

In addition, Ezio was able to use the [[Staff of Eden|Staff]] and the [[Ezio's Apple|Apple]] to open the Vatican Vault, while Rodrigo Borgia could not,<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> and Altaïr had previously used the Apple to enlighten the people of [[Cyprus]] to [[Armand Bouchart]]'s lies.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>

Because of this, when Desmond touched the Apple, Juno informed him that his DNA had "commune[d]" to her, activating the artifact as a result. This allowed her to control his body on a physical level, though he resisted any form of mental control, remaining completely aware of the situation he was placed in.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

==Trivia==
*Though they play an important part in the plot of ''Assassin's Creed II'', the First Civilization are first mentioned briefly by Warren Vidic in ''Assassin's Creed''. When talking to Desmond, Vidic claims that the Knights Templar are responsible for all major human technological advances in history, though he denies that they invented them, calling them "gifts… from those who came before."
*The story of the First Civilization, who created humanity as a docile workforce and was subsequently viewed as gods by their creation, bears striking similarity to the {{Wiki|Ancient Astronauts|Ancient Astronaut Theory}}, which is the idea that extraterrestrials visited the Earth in ancient times and genetically altered an existing hominid species to create humanity in their own image. As a result, extraterrestrials were responsible for influencing early human civilizations, cultures, and religions; and perceived as gods by their human creations.
**The only difference that this theory has to the explanation of the First Civilization, is that the First Civilization did not come from outer space, having resided on the Earth and evolved over time.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180" position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" captiontextcolor="#ffffff">
those who came before.jpg|The First Civilization.
Ezios_and_Minervas_Talk.jpg|Minerva, one of the First Civilization beings, speaking with Ezio Auditore.
jupiter.JPG|Jupiter, a First Civilization being, appearing in the nexus of time created from the [[Synch Nexus]].
Desmond and Juno.png|Juno, a First Civilization being, appearing in holographic form to Desmond Miles.
manufactured by them.jpg|The First Civilization creating the human race.
</gallery>

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACBH}}
{{ACRevelations}}
{{First Civilization}}
[[Category:Species]]
[[Category:Those Who Came Before]]

Isu

2012-05-05T21:25:29Z

71.255.32.213:

{{Era||AC2|ACB|ACR|AC3|Renaissance|Bbook|Rbook|TWCB|Featured}}
{{Quote|We simply came… before.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Trio 1.png|thumb|250px|Three representatives of the First Civilization; Juno, Minerva and Jupiter.]]

The '''First Civilization''',<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref><ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref> more informally known as '''Those Who Came Before''',<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref> were an ancient and advanced species of humanoid beings, among the first to call Earth their home.

They were responsible for the creation of the [[Pieces of Eden]], as well as the [[Humans|human race]] itself, whom they used as a domestic workforce. With early humans unable to comprehend the First Civilization for what they truly were, they were looked upon as gods.

Eventually, [[Human-First Civilization War|war]] broke out between the First Civilization and their now unoppressed human slaves; this, coupled with the onset of what would be referred to as the "[[Toba catastrophe]]", would see the First Civilization slip into extinction, though their legacy would live on for thousands of years.

==Physical description==
The First Civilization were anatomically similar to humans, although they were taller and their skulls were approximately 30% larger. It is theorized that their larger skulls housed bigger brains, which could explain why they possessed six senses, allowing for a more sophisticated perception of space and time. One theory is that skulls from archeological sites around Boskop, South Africa, give fossil evidence of their existence<ref name="Encyclopedia" />.

Along with this, the First Civilization also had a longer lifespan, and evidence of their passing can be found throughout the planet; not only in the ruins of their lost civilization, but also in ancient myths and legends<ref name="Encyclopedia" />.

==History==
===Creation of humanity===
{{Quote|We built you in our own image, we built you to survive.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Eden-Slaves-Workshop.png|thumb|250px|left|A member of the First Civilization using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans.]]

Native to Earth and a product of thousands of years of evolution, the origins of the First Civilization are unclear. [[Minerva]] simply stated that they "came before," and were responsible for the creation of humanity, forming the species in their own image to be a capable, but docile workforce.

While Minerva noted that they built humanity to survive, it was made known by [[Juno]] that they were not intended to be wise, thereby ensuring obedient and resilient cattle to suit their needs.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

Research by [[Clay Kaczmarek]] seemed to suggest that the First Civilization radically altered the genetic make-up of a pre-existing species on the planet to create humanity, fashioning them to be similar to their "gods", and therefore leaving a large gap in terms of transitional species between archaic {{Wiki|Hominidae|hominids}} and modern humans. By 1997, the [[Templars]] had taken note of this and had arranged for fake skeletons to be planted in Ethiopia, so as to limit human exposure to the possibility of the existence of the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

In order to assure the control of humanity, various technologies were created by the ancient but advanced race, named Pieces of Eden, which tapped into a neuro-transmitter located deep within the human brain. However, there were some humans born without the neuro-transmitter, hypothesized by Clay to be hybrids of the First Civilization and humans, and could subsequently live without being controlled through such means.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===War and catastrophe===
{{Quote|When we were still flesh, and our homes still whole, your kind betrayed us. We who made you, we who gave you life.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}

Instigated by the theft of an Apple of Eden by [[Adam]] and [[Eve]], the human rebellion soon erupted into full scale war with their "gods"<ref name="Encyclopedia" />. While the First Civilization were more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers; most likely outnumbering their creators by the millions, far too much for the Pieces of Eden to effectively handle.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

The war did eventually end, although with casualties were greater than the First Civilization could have ever anticipated. The distraction of war had blinded them to all else, and their preoccupation with the war prevented them from seeing the signs of an impending danger from the "heavens".

By the time it was made aware to them, it was already too late. [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Lucy Stillman]] later theorized that this danger could have been a massive solar flare that flipped the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity and making the planet geologically unstable. This hypothesis was supported by evidence found by Clay:
*"Near the day of purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. - Hopi"
*"A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans. - Hopi"
*"They died in the fire from the heavens."
*"75ka was not a volcano."<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Aftermath===
{{Quote|You may not comprehend us, but you will comprehend our warning. […] And as life returned to the world, we endeavored to ensure that this tragedy would not be repeated.|Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Earth post catastrophe.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Earth, following the catastrophe.]]

While both races survived the catastrophe, few of either species remained. Working together, they rebuilt their world, though humanity continued to view Minerva's kind as gods. Despite their survival, the First Civilization were unable to fully recover and began heading toward extinction.

They knew however, that the catastrophe which had burned their world before would eventually reoccur, and so they took steps to prevent it, by recording a holographic, yet interactive, message to serve as a warning to those who entered the Vault in [[Rome]]. In it, Minerva warned of the impending doom, and spoke of the [[Temples]] that could save Earth from destruction, built by those who "knew to turn away from war."<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Delivering their message to the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Desmond Miles]], who was viewing the memories of his ancestor [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], Minerva warned that time was short, and that "the Cross" would stand in their way. With the deliverance of that message, one of the last remaining vestiges of the First Civilization faded away.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

==Characteristics==
[[File:Juno.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Juno was highly opinionated over humanity.]]{{Quote|The rest is up to you, Desmond.|Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.|Assassin's Creed II}}

The First Civilization were a technologically advanced and powerful race, who seemed to possess precognitive abilities, either natural or technological. This was proven during Minerva's conversation with Ezio Auditore, within the [[Vatican Vault]] hidden underneath the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]].

Minerva revealed that Ezio was simply a conduit, which allowed Minerva to speak to Desmond Miles, who was viewing his ancestor's memories. Furthermore, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad|Altaïr]] mentioned in his [[Codex]] that the Piece of Eden he possessed not only contained a catalogue of past events, but also future events, implying that the Pieces held predictions made by the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

It is also apparant that they had connections with many of Earth's religions, and likely influenced their developments directly. During her warning to Desmond, Minerva made mention of her former names, as well of those of her fellow "gods"; Merva, Uni and Tinia, who later became known as Minerva, Juno and [[Jupiter]], respectively. Their former names corresponded to the Etruscan Triad of Deities, while the latter are the names of their Roman counterparts, who make up the {{Wiki|Capitoline Triad}}. This shift in names may be indicative of why various religions have numerous similarities, as they are all based on the story of the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

As a species, the First Civilization were anatomically similar to their human creations, though unlike humanity, who were created with only five senses, members of the First Civilization possessed six; the sixth being "knowledge".<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/> First Civilization individuals were also somewhat taller than humans, with a brain size around thirty percent larger, which may well have accounted for their extra sense.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />

Following the catastrophe that set the First Civilization on the path to extinction, a concerted effort was made to pass on this sixth sense to humanity, their "final, faultered hope." Ultimately however, they failed; though humanity could ''"see the blue shimmer'' [and] ''hear the words,"'' they did not fully possess the "knowledge" of their creators, convincing some, like Juno, that humanity should have simply been left as they were.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

==Legacy==
{{Quote|They're gifts, Mr. Miles. From those who came before.|Dr. [[Warren Vidic]].|Assassin's Creed}}

Despite the mark they left behind on Earth, the First Civilization faded into obscurity rather rapidly after their decline. However, the inability of humans to comprehend their creators as anything but gods did allow for their names and characteristics at least, to live on.

The lack of evidence for their existence did not prevent select groups of humans along time from uncovering their true nature however, as by the 12th century, the Knights Templar had a limited understanding of the nature of those who had lived before.<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/> Indeed, the 20th century technology used to view the genetic memories of one's ancestor – the [[Animus]] – was based on technology utilized by the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

The Templars also knew of the existence of the Pieces of Eden, and regarded them as gifts left behind by the First Civilization for them to utilize.<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/> This situation was in significant contrast to the situation in the 15th century, where it had been the Assassins who knew explicitly of the existence of the pre-existing species, whilst the [[Grand Master]] of the Templars, [[Rodrigo Borgia]], merely believed the Vault to be the location of God himself.

This changed however, and five hundred years later, the Order of Assassins knew next to nothing of the First Civilization's existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Though various religious beliefs seem to have been based on aspects and misinterpretations of the First Civilization, their existence was largely unknown to humanity.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> As early as the 12th century, both the Assassins and the Knights Templar knew that the focus of human religions, the gods, did not truly exist, and that miracles and other supernatural occurrences were simply manifestations of the powers of the Pieces of Eden, devices created by the First Civilization to control the Human race. However, it is unclear if the Assassins and Templars understood the origin of the artifacts at that time.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>

By the 15th century, at least one Templar, Rodrigo Borgia, was aware of the existence, if not the nature, of the First Civilization; he mistakenly believed that the Vatican Vault hidden beneath the Sistine Chapel housed a living God.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Knowledge===
The first known instance of a human becoming aware of their existence following their disappearance was that of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who made mention of them in his [[Codex]]. However, it would not be until the year 1499 that humanity would encounter the First Civilization again, when the Assassin Ezio Auditore encountered a hologram of a being calling herself Minerva in the Vault located underneath the Vatican.

Even though Ezio told his fellow Assassins of Minerva, they still did not understand her true nature, and Ezio himself showed great difficulty in understanding Minerva's explanation of her existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

By 2012, the Templars in [[Abstergo Industries]] had a greater understanding of the true nature of the First Civilization, and the Assassins seen in this time period had suspicions about them as well, which were confirmed when Desmond relived Ezio's memories.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

Through Desmond's experiences, the Assassins were aware of three separate beings: Minerva, Juno and [[Jupiter]];<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> whilst it is unsure if, by that point, they still retained their previous knowledge of [[Consus]].<ref name="Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

===Bloodline===
{{Quote|Why do we have these gifts, these abilities? Because it's in our blood! […] The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!|Clay Kaczmarek|Assassin's Creed II}}

[[William Miles]] stated one person in ten million would have a high concentration of First Civilization DNA.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref> The individual known as Clay Kaczmarek at one point theorized that the true reason behind the [[Eagle Vision|abilities]] of some Assassins was genetic, suggesting a lineage including both human and creator blood.

Clay's own [[The Truth|genetic memories]] indicated him to be a direct descendant of both Adam and Eve, suggesting that his bloodline, if not many more, would all have access to these abilities. Indeed, Altaïr, Ezio, Clay Kaczmarek and Desmond Miles all possessed Eagle Vision, while Ezio and Altaïr both showed themselves resistant to the effects of the Apple, as well as [[Leonardo da Vinci]], suggesting he too had some amount of First Civilization DNA. [[Giovanni Borgia]] was also another Assassin who possessed Eagle Vision, hinting that his father, [[Perotto Calderon]], may have also had First Civilization DNA.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>

In addition, Ezio was able to use the [[Staff of Eden|Staff]] and the [[Ezio's Apple|Apple]] to open the Vatican Vault, while Rodrigo Borgia could not,<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> and Altaïr had previously used the Apple to enlighten the people of [[Cyprus]] to [[Armand Bouchart]]'s lies.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>

Because of this, when Desmond touched the Apple, Juno informed him that his DNA had "commune[d]" to her, activating the artifact as a result. This allowed her to control his body on a physical level, though he resisted any form of mental control, remaining completely aware of the situation he was placed in.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

==Trivia==
*Though they play an important part in the plot of ''Assassin's Creed II'', the First Civilization are first mentioned briefly by Warren Vidic in ''Assassin's Creed''. When talking to Desmond, Vidic claims that the Knights Templar are responsible for all major human technological advances in history, though he denies that they invented them, calling them "gifts… from those who came before."
*The story of the First Civilization, who created humanity as a docile workforce and was subsequently viewed as gods by their creation, bears striking similarity to the {{Wiki|Ancient Astronauts|Ancient Astronaut Theory}}, which is the idea that extraterrestrials visited the Earth in ancient times and genetically altered an existing hominid species to create humanity in their own image. As a result, extraterrestrials were responsible for influencing early human civilizations, cultures, and religions; and perceived as gods by their human creations.
**The only difference that this theory has to the explanation of the First Civilization, is that the First Civilization did not come from outer space, having resided on the Earth and evolved over time.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180" position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" captiontextcolor="#ffffff">
those who came before.jpg|The First Civilization.
Ezios_and_Minervas_Talk.jpg|Minerva, one of the First Civilization beings, speaking with Ezio Auditore.
jupiter.JPG|Jupiter, a First Civilization being, appearing in the nexus of time created from the [[Synch Nexus]].
Desmond and Juno.png|Juno, a First Civilization being, appearing in holographic form to Desmond Miles.
manufactured by them.jpg|The First Civilization creating the human race.
</gallery>

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACBH}}
{{ACRevelations}}
{{First Civilization}}
[[Category:Species]]
[[Category:Those Who Came Before]]

Isu

2012-05-05T21:24:38Z

71.255.32.213:

{{Era|AC1|AC2|ACB|ACR|AC3|Renaissance|Bbook|Rbook|TWCB|Featured}}
{{Quote|We simply came… before.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Trio 1.png|thumb|250px|Three representatives of the First Civilization; Juno, Minerva and Jupiter.]]

The '''First Civilization''',<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref><ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref> more informally known as '''Those Who Came Before''',<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref> were an ancient and advanced species of humanoid beings, among the first to call Earth their home.

They were responsible for the creation of the [[Pieces of Eden]], as well as the [[Humans|human race]] itself, whom they used as a domestic workforce. With early humans unable to comprehend the First Civilization for what they truly were, they were looked upon as gods.

Eventually, [[Human-First Civilization War|war]] broke out between the First Civilization and their now unoppressed human slaves; this, coupled with the onset of what would be referred to as the "[[Toba catastrophe]]", would see the First Civilization slip into extinction, though their legacy would live on for thousands of years.

==Physical description==
The First Civilization were anatomically similar to humans, although they were taller and their skulls were approximately 30% larger. It is theorized that their larger skulls housed bigger brains, which could explain why they possessed six senses, allowing for a more sophisticated perception of space and time. One theory is that skulls from archeological sites around Boskop, South Africa, give fossil evidence of their existence<ref name="Encyclopedia" />.

Along with this, the First Civilization also had a longer lifespan, and evidence of their passing can be found throughout the planet; not only in the ruins of their lost civilization, but also in ancient myths and legends<ref name="Encyclopedia" />.

==History==
===Creation of humanity===
{{Quote|We built you in our own image, we built you to survive.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Eden-Slaves-Workshop.png|thumb|250px|left|A member of the First Civilization using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans.]]

Native to Earth and a product of thousands of years of evolution, the origins of the First Civilization are unclear. [[Minerva]] simply stated that they "came before," and were responsible for the creation of humanity, forming the species in their own image to be a capable, but docile workforce.

While Minerva noted that they built humanity to survive, it was made known by [[Juno]] that they were not intended to be wise, thereby ensuring obedient and resilient cattle to suit their needs.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

Research by [[Clay Kaczmarek]] seemed to suggest that the First Civilization radically altered the genetic make-up of a pre-existing species on the planet to create humanity, fashioning them to be similar to their "gods", and therefore leaving a large gap in terms of transitional species between archaic {{Wiki|Hominidae|hominids}} and modern humans. By 1997, the [[Templars]] had taken note of this and had arranged for fake skeletons to be planted in Ethiopia, so as to limit human exposure to the possibility of the existence of the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

In order to assure the control of humanity, various technologies were created by the ancient but advanced race, named Pieces of Eden, which tapped into a neuro-transmitter located deep within the human brain. However, there were some humans born without the neuro-transmitter, hypothesized by Clay to be hybrids of the First Civilization and humans, and could subsequently live without being controlled through such means.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===War and catastrophe===
{{Quote|When we were still flesh, and our homes still whole, your kind betrayed us. We who made you, we who gave you life.|Minerva.|Assassin's Creed II}}

Instigated by the theft of an Apple of Eden by [[Adam]] and [[Eve]], the human rebellion soon erupted into full scale war with their "gods"<ref name="Encyclopedia" />. While the First Civilization were more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers; most likely outnumbering their creators by the millions, far too much for the Pieces of Eden to effectively handle.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

The war did eventually end, although with casualties were greater than the First Civilization could have ever anticipated. The distraction of war had blinded them to all else, and their preoccupation with the war prevented them from seeing the signs of an impending danger from the "heavens".

By the time it was made aware to them, it was already too late. [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Lucy Stillman]] later theorized that this danger could have been a massive solar flare that flipped the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity and making the planet geologically unstable. This hypothesis was supported by evidence found by Clay:
*"Near the day of purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. - Hopi"
*"A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans. - Hopi"
*"They died in the fire from the heavens."
*"75ka was not a volcano."<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Aftermath===
{{Quote|You may not comprehend us, but you will comprehend our warning. […] And as life returned to the world, we endeavored to ensure that this tragedy would not be repeated.|Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Earth post catastrophe.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Earth, following the catastrophe.]]

While both races survived the catastrophe, few of either species remained. Working together, they rebuilt their world, though humanity continued to view Minerva's kind as gods. Despite their survival, the First Civilization were unable to fully recover and began heading toward extinction.

They knew however, that the catastrophe which had burned their world before would eventually reoccur, and so they took steps to prevent it, by recording a holographic, yet interactive, message to serve as a warning to those who entered the Vault in [[Rome]]. In it, Minerva warned of the impending doom, and spoke of the [[Temples]] that could save Earth from destruction, built by those who "knew to turn away from war."<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Delivering their message to the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Desmond Miles]], who was viewing the memories of his ancestor [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], Minerva warned that time was short, and that "the Cross" would stand in their way. With the deliverance of that message, one of the last remaining vestiges of the First Civilization faded away.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

==Characteristics==
[[File:Juno.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Juno was highly opinionated over humanity.]]{{Quote|The rest is up to you, Desmond.|Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.|Assassin's Creed II}}

The First Civilization were a technologically advanced and powerful race, who seemed to possess precognitive abilities, either natural or technological. This was proven during Minerva's conversation with Ezio Auditore, within the [[Vatican Vault]] hidden underneath the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]].

Minerva revealed that Ezio was simply a conduit, which allowed Minerva to speak to Desmond Miles, who was viewing his ancestor's memories. Furthermore, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad|Altaïr]] mentioned in his [[Codex]] that the Piece of Eden he possessed not only contained a catalogue of past events, but also future events, implying that the Pieces held predictions made by the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

It is also apparant that they had connections with many of Earth's religions, and likely influenced their developments directly. During her warning to Desmond, Minerva made mention of her former names, as well of those of her fellow "gods"; Merva, Uni and Tinia, who later became known as Minerva, Juno and [[Jupiter]], respectively. Their former names corresponded to the Etruscan Triad of Deities, while the latter are the names of their Roman counterparts, who make up the {{Wiki|Capitoline Triad}}. This shift in names may be indicative of why various religions have numerous similarities, as they are all based on the story of the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

As a species, the First Civilization were anatomically similar to their human creations, though unlike humanity, who were created with only five senses, members of the First Civilization possessed six; the sixth being "knowledge".<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/> First Civilization individuals were also somewhat taller than humans, with a brain size around thirty percent larger, which may well have accounted for their extra sense.<ref name="Encyclopedia" />

Following the catastrophe that set the First Civilization on the path to extinction, a concerted effort was made to pass on this sixth sense to humanity, their "final, faultered hope." Ultimately however, they failed; though humanity could ''"see the blue shimmer'' [and] ''hear the words,"'' they did not fully possess the "knowledge" of their creators, convincing some, like Juno, that humanity should have simply been left as they were.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

==Legacy==
{{Quote|They're gifts, Mr. Miles. From those who came before.|Dr. [[Warren Vidic]].|Assassin's Creed}}

Despite the mark they left behind on Earth, the First Civilization faded into obscurity rather rapidly after their decline. However, the inability of humans to comprehend their creators as anything but gods did allow for their names and characteristics at least, to live on.

The lack of evidence for their existence did not prevent select groups of humans along time from uncovering their true nature however, as by the 12th century, the Knights Templar had a limited understanding of the nature of those who had lived before.<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/> Indeed, the 20th century technology used to view the genetic memories of one's ancestor – the [[Animus]] – was based on technology utilized by the First Civilization.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

The Templars also knew of the existence of the Pieces of Eden, and regarded them as gifts left behind by the First Civilization for them to utilize.<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/> This situation was in significant contrast to the situation in the 15th century, where it had been the Assassins who knew explicitly of the existence of the pre-existing species, whilst the [[Grand Master]] of the Templars, [[Rodrigo Borgia]], merely believed the Vault to be the location of God himself.

This changed however, and five hundred years later, the Order of Assassins knew next to nothing of the First Civilization's existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Though various religious beliefs seem to have been based on aspects and misinterpretations of the First Civilization, their existence was largely unknown to humanity.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> As early as the 12th century, both the Assassins and the Knights Templar knew that the focus of human religions, the gods, did not truly exist, and that miracles and other supernatural occurrences were simply manifestations of the powers of the Pieces of Eden, devices created by the First Civilization to control the Human race. However, it is unclear if the Assassins and Templars understood the origin of the artifacts at that time.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>

By the 15th century, at least one Templar, Rodrigo Borgia, was aware of the existence, if not the nature, of the First Civilization; he mistakenly believed that the Vatican Vault hidden beneath the Sistine Chapel housed a living God.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Knowledge===
The first known instance of a human becoming aware of their existence following their disappearance was that of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who made mention of them in his [[Codex]]. However, it would not be until the year 1499 that humanity would encounter the First Civilization again, when the Assassin Ezio Auditore encountered a hologram of a being calling herself Minerva in the Vault located underneath the Vatican.

Even though Ezio told his fellow Assassins of Minerva, they still did not understand her true nature, and Ezio himself showed great difficulty in understanding Minerva's explanation of her existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

By 2012, the Templars in [[Abstergo Industries]] had a greater understanding of the true nature of the First Civilization, and the Assassins seen in this time period had suspicions about them as well, which were confirmed when Desmond relived Ezio's memories.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

Through Desmond's experiences, the Assassins were aware of three separate beings: Minerva, Juno and [[Jupiter]];<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> whilst it is unsure if, by that point, they still retained their previous knowledge of [[Consus]].<ref name="Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

===Bloodline===
{{Quote|Why do we have these gifts, these abilities? Because it's in our blood! […] The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!|Clay Kaczmarek|Assassin's Creed II}}

[[William Miles]] stated one person in ten million would have a high concentration of First Civilization DNA.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref> The individual known as Clay Kaczmarek at one point theorized that the true reason behind the [[Eagle Vision|abilities]] of some Assassins was genetic, suggesting a lineage including both human and creator blood.

Clay's own [[The Truth|genetic memories]] indicated him to be a direct descendant of both Adam and Eve, suggesting that his bloodline, if not many more, would all have access to these abilities. Indeed, Altaïr, Ezio, Clay Kaczmarek and Desmond Miles all possessed Eagle Vision, while Ezio and Altaïr both showed themselves resistant to the effects of the Apple, as well as [[Leonardo da Vinci]], suggesting he too had some amount of First Civilization DNA. [[Giovanni Borgia]] was also another Assassin who possessed Eagle Vision, hinting that his father, [[Perotto Calderon]], may have also had First Civilization DNA.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/><ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>

In addition, Ezio was able to use the [[Staff of Eden|Staff]] and the [[Ezio's Apple|Apple]] to open the Vatican Vault, while Rodrigo Borgia could not,<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/> and Altaïr had previously used the Apple to enlighten the people of [[Cyprus]] to [[Armand Bouchart]]'s lies.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>

Because of this, when Desmond touched the Apple, Juno informed him that his DNA had "commune[d]" to her, activating the artifact as a result. This allowed her to control his body on a physical level, though he resisted any form of mental control, remaining completely aware of the situation he was placed in.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"/>

==Trivia==
*Though they play an important part in the plot of ''Assassin's Creed II'', the First Civilization are first mentioned briefly by Warren Vidic in ''Assassin's Creed''. When talking to Desmond, Vidic claims that the Knights Templar are responsible for all major human technological advances in history, though he denies that they invented them, calling them "gifts… from those who came before."
*The story of the First Civilization, who created humanity as a docile workforce and was subsequently viewed as gods by their creation, bears striking similarity to the {{Wiki|Ancient Astronauts|Ancient Astronaut Theory}}, which is the idea that extraterrestrials visited the Earth in ancient times and genetically altered an existing hominid species to create humanity in their own image. As a result, extraterrestrials were responsible for influencing early human civilizations, cultures, and religions; and perceived as gods by their human creations.
**The only difference that this theory has to the explanation of the First Civilization, is that the First Civilization did not come from outer space, having resided on the Earth and evolved over time.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180" position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" captiontextcolor="#ffffff">
those who came before.jpg|The First Civilization.
Ezios_and_Minervas_Talk.jpg|Minerva, one of the First Civilization beings, speaking with Ezio Auditore.
jupiter.JPG|Jupiter, a First Civilization being, appearing in the nexus of time created from the [[Synch Nexus]].
Desmond and Juno.png|Juno, a First Civilization being, appearing in holographic form to Desmond Miles.
manufactured by them.jpg|The First Civilization creating the human race.
</gallery>

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACBH}}
{{ACRevelations}}
{{First Civilization}}
[[Category:Species]]
[[Category:Those Who Came Before]]