See JACOBITE CHURCH.
MAGADHA, The kingdom of.
See INDIA: B. C. 327-312; and 312—.
MAGDALA, Capture of (1868).
See ABYSSINIA: A. D. 1854-1889.
MAGDEBURG: A. D. 1631.
Siege, storming, and horrible sack and massacre
by the troops of Tilly.
See GERMANY: A. D. 1630-1631.
MAGELLAN, Voyage of.
See AMERICA: A. D. 1519-1524.
MAGENTA, Battle of (1859).
See ITALY: A. D. 1856-1859.
MAGESÆTAS, The.
See ENGLAND: A. D. 547-633.
MAGIANS.
MAGI.
The priesthood of the ancient Iranian religion—the religion
of the Avesta and of Zarathrustra, or Zoroaster—as it existed
among the Medes and Persians. In Eastern Iran the priests were
called Athravas. In Western Iran "they are not called
Athravas, but Magush. This name is first found in the
inscription which Darius caused to be cut on the rock-wall of
Behistun; afterwards it was consistently used by Western
writers, from Herodotus to Agathias, for the priests of Iran."
_M. Duncker,
History of Antiquity,
book 7, chapter 8 (volume 5)._
"The priests of the Zoroastrians, from a time not long
subsequent to Darius Hystaspis, were the Magi. This tribe, or
caste, originally perhaps external to Zoroastrianism, had come
to be recognised as a true priestly order; and was entrusted
by the Sassanian princes with the whole control and direction
of the religion of the state. Its chief was a personage
holding a rank but very little inferior to the king. He bore
the title of 'Tenpet,' 'Head of the Religion,' or 'Movpetan
Movpet,' 'Head of the Chief Magi.'"
_G. Rawlinson,
Seventh Great Oriental Monarchy,
chapter 28._
"To the whole ancient world Zoroaster's lore was best known by
the name of the doctrine of the Magi, which denomination was
commonly applied to the priests of India, Persia, and
Babylonia. The earliest mention of them is made by the prophet
Jeremiah (xxxix. 3), who enumerated among the retinue of King
Nebuchadnezzar at his entry into Jerusalem, the 'Chief of the
Magi' ('rab mag' in Hebrew), from which statement we may
distinctly gather that the Magi exercised a great influence at
the court of Babylonia 600 years B. C. They were, however,
foreigners, and are not to be confounded with the indigenous
priests. … The name Magi occurs even in the New Testament.
In the Gospel according to St. Matthew (ii. 1), the Magi
(Greek 'magoi,' translated in the English Bible by 'wise men')
came from the East to Jerusalem, to worship the new-born child
Jesus at Bethlehem. That these Magi were priests of the
Zoroastrian religion, we know from Greek writers."
_M. Haug,
Essays on the Religion of the Parsis, 1._
See, also, ZOROASTRIANS.