The Magi are the visitors who came to Bethlehem to worship the newly-born Jesus of Nazareth in the gospel of Matthew (2:1-2). 'Magi' is a transliteration of the Greek magos from old Persian magus ("powerful") as a reference to the Zoroastrian priests of the later Persian Empire. They were also known as famous astrologers who attempted to understand the relationship of the powers in the universe to humans.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original definition at https://www.worldhistory.org/Magi/.
Join the Conversation
- Anything here you'd push back on?
- Is there anything you'd change or add?
- What surprised you most in this definition?
Is there anything you'd like to ask about this definition? Ask away — and if you spot something that should be covered, that's useful to know too.