Editing Order of the Ancients

{{Era|Organizations|Ancients|Templars}}
{{Prerelease}}
{{Spoilerhd|11 July 2021}}
{{Update|''[[Assassin's Creed Origins: Desert Oath]], [[Assassin's Creed: Origins (comic)]], [[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]], [[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' and ''[[The Siege of Paris]]''}}
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{{Quote|The Order is Eternal. You are ephemeral.|Ptahmose to Bayek, 38 BCE.|Assassin's Creed: Origins|The Setting Sun}}
{{Faction Infobox
|name = Order of the Ancients
|image = Order of the Ancients logo.png
|founder = [[Smenkhkare]]
|leader = [[Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients]]<ref name="ACV"/>
|locations = *[[Egypt]]<ref name="ACO">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]''</ref>
*[[Persia]]<ref name="LotFB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]] – [[Legacy of the First Blade]]''</ref>
*[[China]]<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref><ref name="ACD">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – {{Cite|23 Feb 2021. Chapters needed}}''</ref>
*[[Greece]]<ref name="LotFB"/><ref name="AC2"/>
*[[Italy]]<ref name="ACO"/><ref name="ACOcomic">[[Assassin's Creed: Origins (comic)|''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' comic]]</ref>
*[[United Kingdom|Britain]]<ref name="ACH">''[[Assassin's Creed: Heresy]]''</ref><ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''</ref>
*[[France]]<ref name="Alcuin's Letter">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – Alcuin's Letter to Charlemagne</ref><ref name="Aelfred's Commentaries">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – Aelfred's Commentaries</ref>
*[[Ireland]]<ref name="ACV"/>
*[[Norway]]<ref name="ACV"/>
|predecessor = [[Children of Cain]]
|subsidiaries =*[[Red Hand]]<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Burning the Firebrand]]</ref>
*[[Yeluohe]]<ref name="ACD"/>
*[[Golden Turtles]]<ref name="ACD"/>
|successor = *[[Templars|Templar Order]]
*[[Instruments of the First Will]] {{c|possibly}}<ref name="ACV Shaun's Notes">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Shaun's notes]]: "The Order of the Ancients"</ref>
|related =
*[[Cult of Kosmos]]<ref name="Ordering the Kosmos">''Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – [[Legacy of the First Blade: Bloodline]]'' – [[The Ordering of the Kosmos]]</ref>
*[[Qin dynasty]]<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref>
*[[Gabiniani]]<ref name="ACO"/>
*[[Cult of Mithras]]<ref name="ACV"/>
*[[Britons]]<ref name="ACH"/>
*[[Tang dynasty]]<ref name="ACD"/>
*[[Franks]]<ref name="ACV"/>
*[[Carolingian Empire]]<ref name="ACV"/>
*[[House of Wessex]]<ref name="ACV"/>
*[[Wolf Clan]]<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Database: Kjotve]]</ref>
|formed = c. 1334 BCE<ref name="ACO"/>
|religion=*Isu paganism<ref name= "ACV Database">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Database: The Order of the Ancients]]</ref>
*Trinitarianism {{c|Northern European Branch}}<ref name="ThePoorFellowSoldier">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[The Poor Fellow-Soldier]]</ref>
|collapsed=
|reorganized= c.878 CE {{c|as the [[Templars|Templar Order]] <ref name="ThePoorFellowSoldier" />}}
}}
The '''Order of the Ancients''', also known as the '''Order of Ancients''',<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[To Serve the Light...]]</ref> the '''Snake''',<ref name="TheFalseOracle">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' – [[The False Oracle]]</ref> and derisively as the '''Order of Heretics''',<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Walls and Shadows]]</ref> was a secretive religious cabal which operated throughout the ancient world. The Order of the Ancients was founded in 1334 BCE by the [[Egypt]]ian pharaoh [[Smenkhkare]], who not only strictly revered the [[Isu|Ancient Ones]], but also upheld a strict supremacist view of them and sought to use the [[Piece of Eden|Pieces]] of [[Eden]] in order to politically and religiously shepherd [[human]]ity into recreating Isu societies on [[Earth]] as well as revive the Isu.

During the reign of the Order of the Ancients, they held dominion over major empires in the ancient world. The reach of their members extended to military readers, religious elders, scholars and philosophers, political leaders as well as criminal masterminds. With the rise of Abrahamic religions and the decline of polythetic religions across Europe and Asia, the Order of the Ancients began to decline and were eventually mostly wiped out.  

In 2020, given the similarities in theological beliefs, the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Shaun Hastings]] theorized that the Order of the Ancients could have been a predecessor organization to the collapsed [[Modern times|modern day]] religious organization called the [[Instruments of the First Will]].<ref name="ACV Shaun's Notes" />

==History==
===Antiquity===
====Early years====
The Order of the Ancients was founded by the Pharaoh Smenkhkare around 1334 BCE, with the aim of identifying and exploiting ancient Isu technologies. Having discovered the Isu vault [[Eeyoo Sekedoo Aat]], Smenkhkare eventually had his own tomb connected to the vault in order to keep it hidden.<ref name="ACO" /> The Order spread across Egypt before expanding into [[Iran|Persia]], where it sought to manipulate and control the Achaemenid Emperors. By the 5th century BCE, the Order had grown into a powerful organization that had dominated the empire for generations.<ref name="LotFB:H">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]] – [[Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted]]''</ref>

Within time, their influence grew beyond Egypt and expanded into nearby Persia, where they influenced the reigns of generations of [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid Emperors]], including [[Darius I of Persia|Darius I]] and his son, [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes I]]. By the time of the Second Persian Invasion of [[Hellas]]—during which the famed [[Battle of Thermopylae]] took place—the Order of the Ancients had long been in partnership with the [[Cult of Kosmos]]. Though both operated independently of one another, their aims often aligned, and as a result, both groups sought to install [[Xerxes I of Persia]] as overlord in Greece.<ref name="LotFB:B">''Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – [[Legacy of the First Blade: Bloodline]]''</ref> Despite this partnership, however, the Order was unaware of the Cult's part in instigating the [[Peloponnesian War]]—a conflict which brought chaos to the region, much to the disdain of the Order.<ref name="LotFB:B" />

====Pursuit of Darius====
[[File:ACOD Darius assassinate Xerxes.png|thumb|left|250px|Xerxes assassinated by Darius]]
Eventually, their existence and activities were discovered by the Persian elites [[Artabanus]], and his friends [[Amorges]] and [[Pactyas (Ancients)|Pactyas]], during the reign of Xerxes I. Forming a small group to oppose them, they successfully assassinated Xerxes in 465 BCE. The Order then turned their attention to Xerxes' son, [[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes I]], who had succeeded his father as Emperor. When Artabanus, fearing the potential for another puppet king, plotted his assassination, Amorges betrayed his friend and joined the Order. Amorges foiled Artabanus's plan and had him branded a traitor, which forced Artabanus and his family to flee. Amorges later became a leader of the Order and sent a [[Order of Hunters|branch]] of the Order led by Pactyas to pursue and eliminate Artabanus, who by then adopted the name Darius.<ref name="LotFB:H" />

Their pursuit of Darius notwithstanding, the Order of Hunters were principally charged with tracking and eliminating those they considered "[[Tainted Ones]]", human descendants of the [[hybrid]]s who possessed enhanced strength and abilities. To this end, c. 429 BCE the Order of Hunters made its way to [[Makedonia]], [[Greece]] in order to eliminate the [[Sparta]]n ''[[Mercenary|misthios]]'' [[Kassandra]], who they correctly suspected of being such an individual.<ref name="LotFB:H" /><ref name="Hunter's Hounds">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]] – [[The Hunter's Hounds]]''</ref>

====Activities in Greece====
On 429 BCE, a group of members of the Persian branch of the Order allied with the Spartans in order to root out Tainted Ones, with a group of mercenaries discovering their existence while searching for the Eagle Bearer themselves.<ref name="HH 1">''Assassin's Creed: Rebellion – The Hunter's Hounds – [[Road to Riches]]''</ref> This group also uncovered correspondence between the Spartans the Persian army, as well as a planned ambush they decided to interfere with, thinking that would bolster their fame and allow them to join Kassandra's crew.<ref name="HH 2">''Assassin's Creed: Rebellion – Hunter's Hounds – [[Empty Masks]]''</ref>

The mercenaries once again fought the Order, this time being aided by Darius, who warned them more members were nearby before leaving to check on Natakas at their camp.<ref name="HH 3">''Assassin's Creed: Rebellion – The Hunter's Hounds – [[The Serpent Coils]]''</ref> Though, upon arrival, Darius and the mercenaries would find the camp ransacked and Natakas missing. Darius warned them that he worked better alone, but the group ignored him and followed Darius, intent on helping him and delivering retribution to the Order for the ambush.<ref name="HH 4">''Assassin's Creed: Rebellion – The Hunter's Hounds – [[Achilles' Heel]]''</ref>

Following a bunch of tracks to a cave the Order was using as a hideout, the mercenaries got to work, making their way through the cave, eliminating all Spartans and the two Order members they encountered until they reached a central cavern. There, they saw six Order members and a Spartan ekdromos gathered around the restrained Natakas. Unbeknownst to them, Darius had also tracked the Order to the cave and had hidden behind a stalagmite deep in the cavern. As the mercenaries approached the Order, Darius dashed from his hiding place to flank the group.<ref name="HH 5">''Assassin's Creed: Rebellion – The Hunter's Hounds – [[The Hydra's Nest]]''</ref>

Using the distraction created by the mention of his father's name, Natakas knocked down the Order leader. In response, another Order member and the ekdromos engaged the mercenaries in combat, but were killed. The Order leader rose to their feet to retaliate when Darius suddenly came from behind and assassinated them. Before dying, the leader taunted Darius, boasting that they had called for The Huntsman and his branch. The mercenaries then invited the two to join the Eagle-Bearer's crew, which Darius declined. However, Natakas was intrigued, and as they left the cave, the mercenaries regaled him with the warrior's deeds.<ref name="HH 5" />

Expanding their activities into Greece came with risks, however, and the Order's leadership became concerned that the Cult of Kosmos, who controlled much of Greece's aristocracy, might become aware of their existence. As such, strict orders were given to [[Echion]]. To draw out Kassandra, the Order of Hunters sent a letter to Kassandra anonymously to the village of [[Potidaia]] in Makedonia, a plan which succeeded. Pactyas started a fire in the village, which drew the attention of both Kassandra and Darius' son [[Natakas]]. Confronting both Kassandra and Natakas, Pactyas ordered the acolytes to eliminate them both, an attempt which failed.<ref name="LotFB:H" />

Despite this, Pactyas continued to expand the Order's operations in Makedonia, recruiting people into their cause and deploying wolfs around the region. The Order also penetrated high parts of Makedonian leadership and began to command local troops. Kassandra, working with Natakas and Darius, dismantled the Order's operation, eliminating Pactyas' lieutenants and destroying the Order's camps across Makedonia. As such, Pactyas resorted to eliminate Kassandra by manipulating the Macedonian population. Using a child to lure the ''misthios'' to a [[Therme Wetlands|swamp]] containing a tree filled with numerous hanged individuals, Pactyas attempted to manipulate Kassandra with the family members of the victims.<ref name="LotFB:H" />

With that plan failing as well, Pactyas was confronted by Kassandra in a forest and was defeated. Fleeing to a nearby cave in the hills, Pactyas made his final stand before eventually being defeated by Kassandra. With the arrival of Darius and Natakas, Pactyas revealed Darius real identity as his former partner and his actions to Kassandra, before finally being killed by Darius' Hidden Blade. With Pactyas death, the Order's influence in Makedonia was eliminated.<ref name="LotFB:H" />

====Downfall of the Persian branch====
With Pactyas' failure, Amorges made the decision to travel to Greece himself to hunt down Darius. Posing as an elderly merchant named Orontas, he tracked Darius and his son Natakas to [[Achaia]], where they planned to depart east from the port city of [[Patrai]]. To disrupt his plans, he appointed [[Phila]], and the [[Order of the Storm]]  to blockade the port city with her fleet and instruct her men to look for Darius and Natakas.<ref name="LotFB:SH">''Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – [[Legacy of the First Blade: Shadow Heritage]]''</ref> Kassandra released several stranded people in the Cult of Kosmos fortress [[Teichos of Herakles]] and leading them to safety in [[Boura]] with [[Kleta]]. While in Achaia, the Order developed a new weapon, [[Chimera's Breath]], a flamethrower mounted on a ship. Their attempts at building it and installing on the [[Skylla]] failed and its [[Patrai Engineer|chief engineer]] defected. Kassandra then installed it on the ''[[Adrestia]]'' and used it to break the naval blockade. Phila escaped her destroyed ship and was defeated by Kassandra.{{Cite|26 Dec 2019. Memories needed}}

[[File:ACOD Legacy of the First Blade memory Screenshot 8.png|thumb|250px|Amorges confronted by Darius and Kassandra]]
With Phila's defeat, Amorges brought down the entire order on [[Dyme]], Natakas' and Kassandra's home. Amorges brought the remainder of its fleet, the [[The Immortals|Immortals]], and an army to kill the family. The army burned most of the village Kassandra arrived in time to kill both of the Immortals, but was too late to stop Natakas from being killed or her son [[Elpidios]] from being captured. She and Darius pursued them to the Order's stronghold in the Greek World, Messenia. Kassandra and Darius, with the help of an Athenian general, worked to destroy the Order's influence in Messenia. Eventually Kassandra and Darius lit several fires in [[Messene]] to lure out the guards. With the General's distraction, Kassandra was able to reach Amorges. Amorges was killed by Darius and told them the location of her son. Kassandra then hunted down the rest of [[The Order of Dominion]].<ref name="Legacy">''Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade: Bloodline'' – [[Legacy of the First Blade (memory)|Legacy of the First Blade]]</ref>

====Ptolemaic Egypt====
=====Search for the Siwa Vault=====
By the 1st century BCE, the Order had a solid foothold in Egypt, holding a number of high ranking positions in the during the reign of pharaoh [[Ptolemy XII Auletes]]. [[Pothinus]] served as a eunuch within the royal court while [[Berenike]] served as the Nomarch of [[Faiyum]].<ref name="ACO" /> Around this time, Pothinus recruited [[Lucius Septimius]], one of the [[Gabiniani]] stationed in Egypt to protect the pharaohs, into the Order.<ref name="Official Guide">''[[Assassin's Creed Origins: Official Game Guide]]''</ref> During the late [[Ptolemaic Kingdom|Ptolemaic dynasty]] of Egypt, the Order ruled Egypt from the shadows by exploiting the young Pharaohs, especially [[Ptolemy XIII]], as their puppet. 

Following the death of Auletes in 51 BCE, his children Ptolemy XIII and Cleopatra succeeded him as pharaohs, co-ruling the kingdom. Seeing this as an opportunity to gain further power, the Order attempted to persuade Cleopatra to their cause, though this plan ultimately failed. After discovering that the Queen was not as easy to handle as her brother, the Order instigated the expulsion of Cleopatra from Egypt in 49 BCE. They chose Ptolemy, knowing that Cleopatra was a much more cunning ruler and a better strategist than her younger brother, who was more interested in the superficiality of power and was easily swayed by them.<ref name="Official Guide" /> By this time, the Order in Egypt was led by [[Flavius Metellus]], a high-ranking general who served alongside Gaius Julius Caesar.<ref name="ACO" />

[[File:Origins Quest04TheFalseOracle Part01.PNG|thumb|250px|left|The Order with Bayek and Khemu in the Siwa Vault]]
At some point, the Order of the Ancients discovered a [[Siwa Vault|vault]] beneath the [[Temple of Amun|Temple]] of [[Amun (deity)|Amub]] in [[Siwa]], which they believed to be connected to the Apple in their possession. Given said belief, several of the Order's members journeyed to the vault in 49 BCE and attempted to unlock its mysteries. They kidnapped the [[Medjay]] [[Bayek]] and his son [[Khemu]], bringing them to the vault entrance, believing them to either know something about the vault or be able to open it. The Order had figured out that the Apple was one part of the key, and apparently believed the Medjay bloodline to be the other part.<ref name="TheFalseOracle"/>

As it turned out, their attempts were in vain; neither Bayek or his son had knowledge regarding the vault, nor did the vault door react when they placed the Apple in Khemu's hands. Before they could further interrogate the Medjay, they were interrupted by the news of Ptolemy XIII's awakening, and of his desire to come to the Temple of Amun. Most of the Order members present left, leaving Bayek and Khemu within the chamber, telling them to open the door. With Khemu's aid, Bayek freed himself and attempted to fight off the Order, though Khemu was killed in the process.<ref name="TheFalseOracle" />

=====Hunted by the Medjay=====
[[File:The Heron Assassination 02.jpg|thumb|250px|Rudjek confronted by Bayek]]
Having failed to open the vault, the Order abandoned their search and left the village. They appointed [[Medunamun]], who used the cryptonym the '''Ibis''' and served as the [[Oracle of Amun]] in the temple, to remain in the village, giving him the Apple in order for him to learn more about the relic.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[The Oasis]]</ref> Later that year, Bayek went on a quest of vengeance against the Order, seeking revenge for his son's death. In 48 BCE, he located [[Rudjek]], the Nomarch of [[Saqqara Nome]] and a member of the Order who went by the cryptonym of '''Heron''', hunting him to the [[Bent Pyramid]]. Bayek knocked out Rudjek's personal [[Hypatos|bodyguard]], cornering Rudjek in the tomb. Rudjek attempted to retaliate with a [[throwing knife]], but the Medjay blocked it with Rudjek's mask before shoving it into Rudjek, killing him with the blade embedded in it.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[The Heron Assassination]]</ref>

[[File:ACO End of the Snake - Flashback - Eudoros and Pothinus.png|thumb|250px|left|Eudoros and Pothinus plan their next move]]
At the same time frame, [[Amunet|Aya]] of [[Alexandria]], Bayek's wife, also began her own quest to hunt down her son's killer. She enlisted the aid of [[Apollodorus]], Cleopatra's follower, to locate the members. She eventually located [[Actaeon]] and [[Ktesos]], two members of the Order who operated in Alexandria. For her actions, she was declared wanted by the city's [[Phylakitai]], [[Gennadios]], who worked with another member and the Royal Scribe, [[Eudoros]].<ref name="Aya">''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[Aya (memory)|Aya]]</ref> Alarmed by these events, Eudoros and Pothinus wrote a letter to Medunamun in Siwa, informing him of their relentless influence on Ptolemy and reminding him to act with caution.<ref name="EndOfTheSnake">''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[End of the Snake]]</ref> However, Medunamun fell to Bayek, who had returned to Siwa following his assassination of Rudjek and bludgeoned the oracle to death with the Apple of Eden. As a result, the Order's possession of the Apple was handed over to Bayek.<ref name="TheFalseOracle" />

[[File:Origins Quest11TheScarab'sLies Part17.png|thumb|250px|Taharqa assassinated by Bayek]]
Eudoros himself was later hunted down to the [[Bathhouse of Alexandria]] by Bayek, who believed that he had eliminated the last of its members.<ref name="EndOfTheSnake" /> In reality, the Order remained strong, with its members controlling key regions of Egypt, such as [[Khaliset]] in [[Giza]], [[Hetepi]] in [[Memphis]], and Berenike in the Faiyum.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[Egypt's Medjay]]</ref> Meanwhile, [[Taharqa]] sought to expand the Order influence in [[Sapi-Res Nome]] by reclaiming the city of [[Letopolis]] from the consuming desert, using his role as steward as a façade.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[The Scarab's Sting]]</ref> Despite so, he failed to eliminate Bayek, who proceeded to assassinate him in the [[Temple of Horus|Temple]] of [[Horus]].<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[The Scarab's Lies]]</ref>

=====Alliance with Julius Caesar=====
In late 48 BCE, Pothinus and Septimius conspired to assassinate Cleopatra in [[Herakleion]]. Septimius made use of his previous affiliations to the Gabiniani, recruiting [[Venator]] and his men. Venator stationed an arsonist to enter the palace through the docks, with an [[archer]] stationed at a nearby tower and a [[Alexus|soldier]] infiltrating the palace through a disguise. However, one of the Venator's men, [[Livius]], was captured, which led the Queen to discover the plan. Bayek was thus sent by her to eliminate the assassins, thwarting the plan. In a last ditch effort to eliminate Cleopatra and her followers, Venator and his men confronted them in the courtyard, but were defeated.<ref name="WayOfTheGabiniani">''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[Way of the Gabiniani]]</ref>

At the same time, the Order also learned of [[Pompey]]'s newly formed alliance with Cleopatra to reclaim the Egyptin throne.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[Pompeius Magnus]]</ref> To prevent this from happening, Septimius was sent to find Pompey, due to his previous service under the general in 67 BCE. After Pompey and his troops landed northwest of Herakleion, Septimius and his men abushed the general, slaughtering all his men.<ref name="WayOfTheGabiniani" /> After doing so, Septimius cut off Pompey's head and brought it back to Alexandria, intending for Ptolemy to use it to gain an alliance with Caesar instead.<ref name="Blade">''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[Aya: Blade of the Goddess]]</ref>

Nevertheless, the plan failed when Caesar instead chose to side with Cleopatra, who managed to infiltrate the palace with the help of Apollodorus, Aya and Bayek. Furious with this decision, Pothinus and Septimius planned to trap Caesar and Cleopatra in Alexandria with secret orders from the Flavius, while also imprisoning Roman emissaries at the [[Akra Garrison]].<ref name="Blade" /> While in the [[Tomb of Alexander the Great|Tomb]] of [[Alexander the Great]], Flavius secretly recruited Caesar with the aim of having him as the figurehead of the Order.<ref name="ACO" />

However, Caesar was able to escape the [[Siege of Alexandria|siege]] with the help of Aya, who lit the fire at the [[Lighthouse of Alexandria]] to alert Caesar's fleet, while Bayek escorted the general to the lighthouse with a chariot.<ref name="Blade" /> A year later, Pothinus and Septimius joined Ptolemy XIII in a [[Battle of the Nile|battle]] at the [[Nile|Nile Delta]] in a final attempt to rid Egypt of Cleopatra. Ptolemy ultimately drowned while trying to flee and Potinus was killed by Bayek, while Septimius was spared from being killed by Bayek on the orders of Caesar, who declared that Septimius would be punished under Roman law.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[The Battle of the Nile]]</ref>

=====Return to the Siwa vault=====
[[File:Origins Quest22TheFinalWeighing Part17.PNG|thumb|250px|left|Flavius unlocking the vault in Siwa]]
Using his influence, Flavius was able to convince Caesar to spare Septimius and allow him to serve alongside the general.<ref name="ACO" /> In addition, with the crowning of Cleopatra as sole ruler of Egypt and as Caesar's ally, the Order now had the power of the two powerful empires at its disposal, and convinced Cleopatra to release Aya and Bayek from her services.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[The Aftermath]]</ref>

Flavius and Septimius then resumed the Order's goal of unlocking the Siwa Vault, infiltrating the Tomb of Alexander the Great to retrieve Alexander's [[Scepter of Alexander the Great|personal]] [[Staves of Eden|Staff]] of [[Eden]], which they believed was connected to the Siwa Vault. After stealing the Apple of Eden from Apollodorus and distracting him with [[soldier]]s, Flavius and Septimius travelled to Siwa, using the Apple to enthrall and disable Siwan villagers. Left unopposed, Flavius combined the Apple and Staff, successfully unlocking the Vault and caught a glimpse of a globe [[Isu map|projected]] within. Having learned of its contents, Flavius took the Apple with him back to [[Cyrene]], while Septimius took the Staff to Alexandria.<ref name="TheFinalWeighing">''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[The Final Weighing]]</ref>

Along his return through [[Cyrenaica]], Flavius used the Apple to further spread his influence amongst the Egyptian and Greek residents in the region, before basing himself at the [[Temple of Mars|Temple]] of [[Mars (deity)|Mars]] at the [[Roman Akropolis|Akropolis]] of Cyrene. There, he was confronted by Bayek, who had learned of his location with the help of [[Praxilla (Cyrenean)|Praxilla]] and [[Diocles]]. Despite making use of the Apple and its abilities, Flavius was defeated by Bayek and the Apple was once again reverted to the Medjay's possession.<ref name="TheFinalWeighing" />

=====Expansion to Rome =====
After Ptolemy's death, their choice to shift their support to [[Cleopatra]] and [[Julius Caesar]], the latter giving them leverage to expand their influence throughout the [[Roman Republic]]. The Order also played a significant role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the [[Roman Empire]].Meanwhile, Septimius reached Alexandria and returned to Rome with Caesar, serving as his right-hand man.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[Last of the Medjay]]</ref> A new branch of the Order was thus established in the Roman Republic,<ref name="ACO" /> and the Staff was handed over to the Order. To ensure that the Order remain in power in Cleopatra's kingdom, Caesar appointed the general [[Gaius Julius Rufio]] as the leader of the Roman troops in Egypt, using the [[Sinai]] as the main base of operations.<ref name="ACOTHO">''Assassin's Creed: Origins – [[The Hidden Ones (DLC)|The Hidden Ones]]'' – {{Cite|27 Feb 2021. Memories needed}}</ref>

By 44 BCE, Caesar had crushed much of his competition in the [[Caesar's Civil war|civil war]] and was to be declared ''{{Wiki|Dictator perpetuo|Dictator}}'' of the Republic.<ref name="ACO" /> Aya, who now formed [[Roman Hidden Ones|a group]] of [[Hidden Ones]] to oppose the Order, recruited the Roman senators, including [[Marcus Junius Brutus]], [[Gaius Cassius Longinus]], [[Decimus Junius Brutus]] and [[Servilius Casca]].<ref name="FallOfAnEmpire">''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' – [[Fall of an Empire, Rise of Another]]</ref>

At the [[Theatre of Pompey]], Septimius was confronted by Aya at the arena while Caesar attended a meeting at the curia with the senators in attendance. After being defeated by Aya, Septimius revealed to her the fate of the Staff in his possession and that Caesar was their "[[Father of Understanding]]". Left defenseless, Caesar was assassinated by Aya from behind and stabbed by the rest of the Sentators.<ref name="FallOfAnEmpire" />

===The Early Middle Ages===
By the time of the early [[Middle Ages]], the Order of the Ancients had spread north to [[Europe]] through the Roman expansion. At some point, they managed to establish influence in [[Scandinavia]]<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods]]''</ref> and [[Great Britain]].<ref name="ACV" /> They also had a foothold in East Asia by the 8th century.<ref name="ACD"/>

====Tang dynasty====
By the 8th century, the Order of the Ancients had spread into the [[Tang dynasty]] during the reign of [[Emperor Xuanzong of Tang|Xuanzong]], and had called themselves the [[Golden Turtles]]. The Order exerted an influence in the royal court through Empress [[Yang Guifei]], who placed her trust in the officials and Order members [[Yang Guozhong]] and [[An Lushan]]. However, internal friction between both members led to the formation of the splinter faction called the [[Yeluohe]], which was personally headed by Lushan.<ref name="ACD" />

Eventually, An Lushan [[An Lushan Rebellion|rebelled]] against the Emperor and established his own [[Yan|state]], proclaiming himself as Emperor of Yan.<ref name="ACD" />

====Northern Europe====
In the 9th century, the Order of the Ancients' new leader in [[England]], King [[Alfred the Great|Alfred]] of [[Wessex]], who had inherited the position from his brother, greatly despised the Order's polytheism and privately vowed to destroy them for their blasphemous views of the world. Aligning his [[Christianity|Christian]] upbringing with elements of the Order's goals, Alfred declared the Father of Understanding as the one true God of the universe. He then sought to create a new "Universal Order" which would be bound with strict Christian principles. Rather than indulging personal greed for knowledge and power, the new organization was to be strictly dedicated to establishing peace by spreading harmony and progress through improving each other's and society's lives. 

With this declaration, the Order of the Ancients members were hunted down by the combined efforts of [[Eivor Varinsdottir]], a Hidden Ones ally, and an early iteration of the Templar Order led by Alfred the Great himself, the self-proclaimed Poor-Fellow Soldier of Christ. With the Order of the Ancients' last stronghold in Europe undermined from within and much of their membership in the world scattered and exterminated, the organization fell into decline. <ref name="ThePoorFellowSoldier" />

==Overview and ideology==
===Foundations and memberships===
{{Quote|I have served them and your beloved Egypt. And I'll be rewarded in the Afterlife. An eternity of drinking and whoring with my brothers.|Lucius Septimius, explaining his dedication to the Order.|Assassin's Creed: Origins|Fall of an Empire, Rise of Another}}
The Order of the Ancient's foundations heavily rely on their supremacist view of the Isu and their strong desire to shepherd humanity into recreating Isu societies on earth by leading humanity using the wisest and strongest members of society.<ref name= "ACV Database" />

By the time Egypt had been under the control of the Ptolemaic dynasty over one thousand years, the Order comprised of various men and women at the upper echelons of the ruling class; these individuals retained positions of power and, for the most part, were involved in political, religious, economic and military proceedings. Members of the Order of the Ancients symbolically wore identical masks, headdresses, and robes when they met in congress—a visual display of their loyalties. Each key member of the Order was responsible for their own sphere of influence within Egyptian society and they were scattered all over Egypt, due to the antiquated constraints of communication and transport.<ref name="ACO" />

Within the Persian sect, members carried [[Order of the Ancients medallion|a necklace]] featuring the {{Wiki|Faravahar}}, an emblem of the Achaemenid Empire, with a stylized wings design.<ref name="LotFB:H" />

During the 9th century, the Order in [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[England]] adopted a hierarchy system being led by a [[Grand Maegester of the Order of the Ancients|Grand Maegester]] with five [[Maegester]]s, while the remaining members were either of the [[Palatinus]] or [[Preost]] rank.<ref name="ACV" /> Within this sect, members carried a [[silver]] medallion featuring an embossed [[Yggdrasil]].<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Birthrights]]</ref>

===Overarching Goals and Devotion===
{{Quote|The masses are the cattle of the gods, driven by the herdsman's whip. |Hetepi, explaining the Order's views on humanity. |Assassin's Creed: Origins|Fall of an Empire, Rise of Another}}
During the Greco-Persian Wars, the Order was primarily situated in Persia and had influenced the reigns of centuries of Achaemenid Emperors. Members of the Order believed their work to be divine and that few hundreds had to be sacrificed for tens of thousands to achieve long lasting peace and prosperity. The primary aim of the Order during the 1st century BCE was to bring back a strong dynastic power, equal to that of previous dynasties which had ruled during the glory days of Ancient Egypt, prior to the arrival of the Ptolemies. 

This was reinforced by the belief that the pre-existing system had been founded on order, on the divine power of the Pharaohs. In this perspective, the Order was looking for means of control, be they political, religious, military or cultural, to regain what had been lost. In addition, they also had people looking for the secrets of the past, such as the Pieces of Eden, and how to unlock said secrets' potential.<ref name="ACO" />

By the 9th century, the Order of the Ancients gained a more stronger political standing in Northern Europe. During this time, they began to heavily invest in researching the Isu and occult lore, more strictly revering their trinity of deities as well as accumulating wealth, manpower, weapons and resources in order to further expand their influence.

===Religious Belief System===
Unlike most of the people in the ancient world, the Order of the Ancients were trinitarian in their faith and were not fully polytheistic nor monotheistic. They did believe in a spiritual afterlife and their strict reverence of three deities, namely, the [[Father of Understanding]], the [[Mother of Wisdom]], and the [[Sacred Voice]].

The Order of the Ancients were also known for their strict supremacist view of the Isu and these views allows them to make a fetish out of searching for and using the Pieces of Eden. Their worship for their Trinity of Deities would be conducted in secluded temples which were not assessible or known of by the polytheistic and the monotheistic people of those times. For instance, during the 9th century in England, the abandoned [[Temple of Mithras|Temples of Mithras]] located around the Roman ruins of England served as their base of operations, a place for them to conduct their worship and as repositories for their secret wisdom.<ref name="ThePoorFellowSoldier" />

One member of the Order, [[Fulke]], believed that these beliefs were based on the {{Wiki|Gnosticism|Gnostic}} texts from before the {{Wiki|Nicene Creed}}, and as such took a strict dislike to Abrahamic religions in general. The Order of the Ancients were also aware of [[Juno]]'s imprisonment as well as the existence of [[Aita]]'s [[Sage]]s. The Order members were even well versed in how to identify Sages, even though their descendants, the Templar Order, were not. With the capture of [[Sigurd Styrbjornsson]], the Order also became aware of other Isu Sages as well.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[A Bloody Welcome]]</ref>

Despite the Order of the Ancients' strict supremacist view of the Isu, the Order of the Ancients had a less than favorable view of Tainted Ones, humans who directly descended from the Isu. This was because they feared them and strongly believed that the Tainted Ones have the power to oppose them and burn down their centuries of work. However, they were not opposed to recruiting Tainted Ones into their organization, with one such member, [[Phila]], even rising to the rank of [[Magus]] in the Persian branch of the Order of Ancients due to her enhanced abilities and strategic brilliance.<ref name="LotFB:SH" />

==Members==
===Ancient Egypt===
*[[Smenkhkare]] {{C|Founder}}

===Achaemenid Empire / Greek City-States===
;Order of Dominion
{{Main|Order of Dominion}}

*[[Amorges]] {{c|The Tusk of Persia}}
*[[Gergis]] {{c|The Herald}}
*[[The Immortals]]
*[[Artazostre]] {{c|The Silence}}
*[[Dimokrates]] {{c|The Destroyer}}
*[[Gaspar (Ancients)|Gaspar]] {{c|The Gatekeeper}}
*[[Pithias]] {{c|The Architect}}
*[[Harpagos]]

;Order of the Storm
{{Main|Order of the Storm}}

*[[Phila]] {{c|The Tempest}}
*[[Augos]] {{c|The All-Seeing}}
*[[Megakreon]] {{c|The Unbreakable}}
*[[Nestor (Ancients)|Nestor]] {{c|The Formidable}}
*[[Sophos]] {{c|The Broker}}

;Order of Hunters
{{Main|Order of Hunters}}

*[[Pactyas (Ancients)|Pactyas]] {{c|The Huntsman}}
*[[Akantha]] {{c|The Deceiver}}
*[[Bubares]] {{c|The Conspirator}}
*[[Echion]] {{c|The Watcher}}
*[[Konon]] {{c|The Fighter}}
*[[Phratagounè]] {{c|The Keeper}}
*[[Timosa]] {{c|The Physician}}
*[[Order Elite]]

===Ptolemaic Egypt / Roman Republic===
*[[Actaeon]] {{c|The Vulture}}
*[[Ampelius]] {{c|The Administrator}}<ref name="ACOTHO" />
*[[Augustus]]<ref name="ACOTHO" />
*[[Berenike]] {{c|The Crocodile}}
*[[Eudoros]] {{c|The Hippo}}
*[[Flavius Metellus]] {{c|The Lion}}
*[[Hetepi]] {{c|The Lizard}}
*[[Gaius Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]] <ref name="ACOTHO" />
*[[Khaliset]] {{c|The Hyena}}
*[[Ktesos]] {{c|The Ram}}
*[[Livius]]
*[[Lucius Septimius]] {{c|The Jackal}}
*[[Medunamun]] {{c|The Ibis}}
*[[Pothinus]] {{c|The Scorpion}}
*[[Ptahmose]] {{c|The Mason}}<ref name="ACOTHO" />
*[[Raia]]
*[[Rudjek]] {{c|The Heron}}
*[[Gaius Julius Rufio|Rufio]] {{c|The Leader}}
*[[Tacito]] {{c|The Executioner}}<ref name="ACOTHO" />
*[[Taharqa]] {{c|The Scarab}}
*[[Theotimos]]

===Roman Empire===
*[[Augustus]]
*[[Caïus Fulvus Vultur]]

===Briton England===
*[[Arthur Pendragon]]

===Tang dynasty===
*[[An Lushan]] 
*[[Bian Lingcheng]]
*[[Gao Lishi]]
*[[Gao Miao]]
*[[He Qiannian]]
*[[Li Linfu]]
*[[Li Qincou]]
*[[Shi Siming]]
*[[Sun Xiaozhe]]
*[[Wang Chengye]]
*[[Yan Zhuang]]
*[[Yang Guozhong]]

===Francia / Holy Roman Empire===
*[[Charlemagne]]
*[[Louis II of Italy]]

===Anglo-Saxon England / Scandinavia ===
*[[Æthelred I, King of Wessex]] {{c|Grand Maegester}}
*[[Æthelwulf, King of Wessex]] {{c|Grand Maegester}}
*[[Alfred the Great]] {{c|The Father}} {{c|Grand Maegester; until 878}}
*[[Fulke]] {{c|The Instrument}}
*[[Offa of Mercia]]
*[[Ælla of Northumbria]]
*[[Lerion]]
<div style="float:left; width:48;">
;Wardens of War
{{Main|Wardens of War}}

*[[Gorm Kjotvesson]] {{c|The Keel}}
*[[Vicelin]] {{C|The Compass}}
*[[Avgos Spearhand]] {{C|The Arrow}}
*[[Frideswid]] {{C|The Leech}}
*[[Leofgifu]] {{C|The Scabbard}}
*[[Hunta]] {{C|The Baldric}}
*[[Kjotve the Cruel|Kjotve]] {{c|The Axe}}
</div>
<div style="float:right; width:48%;">
;Wardens of Law
{{Main|Wardens of Law}}

*[[Derby]] {{C|The Vice}}
*[[Audun]] {{C|The Vault}}
*[[Grigorii]] {{C|The Needle}}
*[[Ingeborg]] {{C|The Firebrand}}
*[[Gunilla]] {{C|The Adze}}
*[[Tata]] {{C|The Dart}}
*[[Eanbhert]] {{C|The Vellum}}
</div>
{{-}}
<div style="float:left; width:48;">
;Wardens of Wealth
{{Main|Wardens of Wealth}}

*[[Tatfrid]] {{C|The Lyre}}
*[[Herefrith]] {{C|The Crozier}}
*[[Wigmund]] {{C|The Tang}}
*[[Gifle]] {{C|The Ash-Spear}}
*[[Mucel]] {{C|The Lathe}}
*[[Patrick]] {{C|The Anvil}}
*[[Havelok]] {{C|The Billhook}}</div>
<div style="float:right; width:48%;">
;Wardens of Faith
{{Main|Wardens of Faith}}

*[[Blaeswith]] {{C|The Rake}}
*[[Ealhferth]] {{C|The Seax}}
*[[Selwyn]] {{C|The Gallows}}
*[[Hilda]] {{C|The Quill}}
*[[Beneseck]] {{C|The Bell}}
*[[Heika]] {{C|The Sickle}}
*[[Yohanes Loukas]] {{C|The Oil}}
</div>
{{-}}

;Zealots
{{Main|Zealots}}

*[[Beorhtsige]] {{C|Joy-Canker}}
*[[Bercthun]] {{C|War-Hedge}}
*[[Callin]] {{C|Long-Sorrow}}
*[[Cola]] {{C|Cniht-Scribe}}
*[[Cudberct]] {{C|Eel of Earth}}
*[[Eorforwine]] {{C|Molten-Innocence}}
*[[Heike]] {{C|Raven-Banquet}}
*[[Horsa]] {{C|Frown-Hoard}}
*[[Hrothgar]] {{C|Rat-Lord}}
*[[Kendall]] {{C|Blood Brewer}}
*[[Osgar]] {{C|Sword-Cloven}}
*[[Redwalda]] {{C|Dire-Scop}}
*[[Wealdmaer]] {{C|Geld-Remover}}
*[[Woden]] {{C|Pagan-Hole}}
*[[Wuffa]] {{C|Death-Boon}}

===Allies and puppets===

;Achaemenid Empire and Ancient Greece

*[[Darius I of Persia]]
*[[Xerxes I of Persia]]
*[[Artaxerxes I of Persia]]
*[[Cult of Kosmos]]
*[[Darius II of Persia]]

;Ptolemaic Egypt / Roman Republic

*[[Cleopatra]]
*[[Gennadios]]
*[[Kensa]]
*[[Melitta]]
*[[Ptolemy XIII]]
*[[Venator]]

;Roman Empire

*[[Caligula]]
*[[Faustinus]]

;Tang Dynasty

*[[Emperor Xuanzong of Tang]]
*[[Yang Guanghui]]
*[[Yang Guifei]]

'''Anglo-Saxon England/Scandinavia'''<br />

* [[Aelwyn]]
* [[Galinn]]
*[[Harriet]]
* [[Oija]]
*[[Red Hand]]
*[[Rikiwulf]]
*[[Wigbert]]
*[[Wimbald]]
*[[Wolf Clan]]
* 

==Trivia==
*Many of the Ptolemaic era members' aliases are representations of various deities in Egyptian mythology:
**The Crocodile ([[Sobek]])
**The Heron ({{Wiki|Bennu}})
**The Hippo ([[Taweret]])
**The Hyena ({{Wiki|Wepwawet}})
**The Ibis ([[Thoth]])
**The Jackal ([[Anubis]])
**The Lion ({{Wiki|Maahes}})
**The Ram ([[Khnum]])
**The Scarab ({{Wiki|Khepri}})
**The Scorpion ([[Serqet]])
**The Snake, the Order's collective name ([[Apep]])
**The Vulture ({{Wiki|Nekhbet}})
*The ankh that accompanies the crowned snake hieroglyph resembles [[Templar insignia|the cross ''pattée'']] of the Order's future incarnation, the Knights Templar.
* The serpent wears the {{Wiki|pschent}}, the double crown, symbolizing the Order's desire to rule all of Egypt.
*The Order's symbol and name, the Snake, contrasts the Assassins' association with the [[eagle]].
*The masks and associated headdress the Ptolemaic-era members wore at their meetings were crafted with icons related to divinity and sovereignty within Egyptian mythology: the double feather crown (''{{Wiki|Shuti hieroglyph (two-feather adornment)|swty}}'') evoked Amun, and as usual, was adorned with a [[Sun|solar]] disc and {{Wiki|uraeus}}, and their masks had the braided postiche, a fake beard related to [[Osiris]].

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
EliteSoldier-OrderOfAncients.jpg|Kassandra fighting against an elite guard of the Persian branch of the Order of Ancients.
ACOD Masterful Sail of the Formidable.png|The ''Adrestia'' flying a stylized Faravahar after defeating Nestor's ship
ACOD-ForLoveOfPersia.png|The insignia of the Persian branch of the Order of Ancients.
ACOD LotFB Image of the Ancients.png|The necklace held by the Persian branch of the Order
Masked One - Conept art.jpg|Concept art of an Egyptian member of the Order
ACO The Snake.png|The symbol of the Snake, another name for the Order
ACO Order of the Ancients.jpg|The Egyptian branch of the Order of the Ancients
Origins Quest04TheFalseOracle Part01.PNG|The Order with Khemu and Bayek
Origins Quest09Egypt'sMedjay Part08.PNG|The Order gathering for a ceremony
Origins Quest09Egypt'sMedjay Part09.PNG|A snake curling around a mummified pharaoh's head
ACD Golden Turtles badge.png|The turtle badges held by the main Chinese branch of the Order
ACV Order of the Ancients Medallion.png|The medallion held by the Anglo-Saxon branch of the Order
</gallery>

==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[The Hidden Ones (DLC)|The Hidden Ones]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Origins: Desert Oath]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Origins (comic)|''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' (comic)]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]]''
**''[[The Mask of the Ibis]]'' {{mo}}
**''[[The Hunter's Hounds]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Legacy of the First Blade]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''
**''[[The Siege of Paris]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Geirmund's Saga]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{ACO}}
{{ACDO}}
{{ACOC}}
{{ACRebellion}}
{{ACOD}}
{{ACV}}
{{ACD}}
{{Templars nav}}
{{Isu}}
[[pl:Zakon Starożytnych]]
[[zh:上古维序者]]
[[fr:Ordre des Anciens]]
[[Category:Order of the Ancients]]
[[Category:Templar Order]]
[[Category:Cult of Kosmos allies]]
[[Category:Secret societies]]
[[Category:Templar-affiliated groups]]
[[Category:Proto-Templar groups]]