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Ezio: "You are... gods."

Minerva: "No. Not gods. We simply came... before."

—Ezio Auditore da Firenze and Minerva, on the nature of the First Civilization.

Three representatives of the First Civilization; Juno, Minerva and Jupiter

The First Civilization, also known to some as Those Who Came Before, or the Precursors, were an ancient and advanced species of humanoid beings that were amongst the first to call Earth their home.

They were responsible for the creation of the Pieces of Eden, as well as the 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, war broke out between the First Civilization and their then 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.

History

Creation of humanity

"We built you in our own image. We built you to survive."

―Minerva.

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.

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 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.

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, consequently making them immune to the Pieces' control.

War and catastrophe

"When we were still flesh and our home still whole, your kind betrayed us. We who made you. We, who gave you life!"

―Minerva.

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". 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.

The war did eventually end, although the 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 conflict prevented them from seeing the signs of an impending danger from the "heavens".

A select few, not partaking in the war, were aware of the imminent catastrophe and endeavored to prevent it, thinking up various possible ways to protect the earth. The Capitoline Triad, consisting of Minerva, Juno and Jupiter would select the most promising solutions, following which they tested them in underground temples. All offered solutions failed however, with none providing adequate protection against the massive solar flare that was to come. During this time, Juno was discovered to have her own plans for the world, seeking to conquer it, rather than save it, and was subsequently imprisoned by Minerva and Jupiter. With their time having grown short, Minerva managed to construct a pedestal, called the Eye, which allowed one to alter the patterns and equations of existence and protect the earth by doing so.

However, before she could use the device, she discovered that Juno had tampered with it somehow, so that it would set her free upon activation. Refusing to unleash Juno from her prison, Minerva destroyed the device, thus condemning the world to face the solar flare, which was later theorized by Shaun Hastings and Lucy Stillman to have 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."

In the affairs of humans

"For centuries Tinia and I walked the world, hoping to rekindle the spark of civilization. We shared what we knew as best we could."

―Minerva on rebuilding civilization.

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 their counterparts as gods. Despite their survival, the First Civilization were unable to fully recover their numbers, and began an inevitable decline 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. Utilising the Vaults, Minerva recorded a number of holographic, yet interactive, messages to serve as a warning to those who entered the Vault under what would become the city of 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."

Concurrently, several other members of the First Civilization took independent steps to influence the thriving human race, attempting to put their knowledge to stone or parchment, though these did not withstand the test of time.

Delivering their message to the Assassin Desmond Miles, who was viewing the memories of his ancestor Ezio Auditore da Firenze, 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.

Second Catastrophe

"You may not comprehend us. But you will comprehend our warning. [...] And as life returned to the world... We endeavored to ensure this tragedy would not be repeated."

―Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio Auditore.

In October of 2012, Desmond and his Assassin team reached the Grand Temple, where they discovered that in order to find the key that unlocked its inner barrier, Desmond would be required to relive the memories of his ancestor, Haytham Kenway, and his son Ratonhnhaké:ton.

After some time in the Temple, Shaun learned that the power sources for the First Civilization construct were running low, and that the team needed to locate more. This prompted Desmond to venture out from the Temple to recover them, and on doing so, Juno showed him visions of the solutions the First Civilization had attempted as he replaced them.

Desmond with Juno and Minerva in the temple

After he fully relived the relevant memories of Ratonhnhaké:ton, Desmond, Shaun, Rebecca and William Miles went forth to unlock the Temple's large gate, where they found the Eye, which had been fixed by Juno while trapped within the temple's walls. Juno herself then appeared to the group and told Desmond that by touching it, he would save humanity. She was interrupted by the appearance of Minerva, who had used calculations shortly before she died, allowing her a look into the future.

Minerva warned Desmond that on touching it, the pedestal would not only protect the Earth from the solar flares, but also unleash Juno into the world. She then urged Desmond to allow the flares to decimate Earth, which would lead to Desmond becoming a messiah of sorts to the event's survivors. Eventually his wisdom would be twisted by zealots, using it to justify taking lives, thus repeating the process of humanity over and over again.

Despite this, on justifying that the choice of doing nothing was much worse than releasing Juno, Desmond refused Minerva's plea. He resolved that it was best to save the Earth and hope that another might defeat Juno, as opposed to letting countless lives be lost. Desmond then touched the pedestal and sacrificed himself, unleashing an aurora-like shield around Earth that blocked the worst of the solar flares. After this, Juno then congratulated Desmond on playing his part, and declared that "it is time to play mine."

Characteristics

"The rest is up to you, Desmond."

―Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

Juno was highly opinionated on humanity

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 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 mentioned in his Codex that the Piece of Eden he possessed not only contained a catalog of past events, but also future events, implying that the Pieces held predictions made by the First Civilization.

It is also apparent 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 were the names of their Roman counterparts, who made up the Capitoline Triad. This shift in names may be indicative of why various religions have numerous similarities, as they all seem to be based on the story of the First Civilization.

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". 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. One theory is that skulls from archaeological sites around Boskop, South Africa, give fossil evidence of their existence. Along with this, the First Civilization also had a longer lifespan, though they were not immortal.

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, faltered 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.

Legacy

"They're gifts, Mr. Miles. From those who came before."

―Dr. Warren Vidic.

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. 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.

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. This situation was in significant contrast to that in the 15th century, where it had been the Assassins who knew explicitly of the existence of the precursor 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.

Though various religious beliefs seem to have been based on aspects and misinterpretations of the First Civilization, their existence was largely unknown to humanity. 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.

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 da Firenze 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. 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.

Through Desmond's experiences, the Assassins were aware of three separate beings: Minerva, Juno and Jupiter; whilst it is unsure if, by that point, they still retained their previous knowledge of Consus. In the Grand Temple, they were also told of Juno's husband, Aita, whom she was forced to euthanize after an experiment for which he had volunteered, went wrong.

Bloodline

"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.

William Miles stated that one person in ten million would have a high concentration of First Civilization DNA. Clay Kaczmarek at one point theorized that the true reason behind the abilities of some Assassins was genetic, suggesting a lineage including both human and creator blood.

Clay's own 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, Haytham Kenway, Ratonhnhaké:ton, 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 some genetic relevance to the First Civilization. Aveline de Grandpré was another Assassin from another bloodline entirely, that possessed Eagle Vision.

In addition, Ezio was able to use a Staff and an Apple of Eden to open the Vatican Vault, while Rodrigo Borgia could not, and Altaïr had previously used his Apple to enlighten the people of Cyprus to Armand Bouchart's lies. 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.

Trivia

• Though they played an important part in the plot of Assassin's Creed II, the First Civilization were first mentioned briefly by Warren Vidic in Assassin's Creed. When talking to Desmond, Vidic claimed that the Templars were responsible for all major human technological advances in history, though he denied 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 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.
• During the transcript of First Civilization history, imagery could be seen of triangles that resembled the logo utilized by Abstergo Industries.

Gallery

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  Minerva speaking with Ezio Auditore
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  Juno appearing before Desmond Miles
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  Jupiter speaking with Desmond in the Synch Nexus
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  A transcript of First Civilization history