n.
Member of an ancient Persian clan specializing in cultic activities.
The magi were a priestly caste during the Seleucid , Parthian, and Sasanian dynasties, and parts of the Avesta are probably derived from them. Their priesthood is believed to have served several religions, including Zoroastrianism . From the 1st century AD onward, the word magus in its Syriac form ( magusai ) was applied to magicians and soothsayers, chiefly from Babylonia . As long as the Persian empire lasted there was a distinction between the Persian magi, credited with profound religious knowledge, and the Babylonian magi, often considered outright imposters. See also Magi .