Hello Internet - and once again, welcome back
into Top 5 Scary Videos - the channel where
the terrifying tales of ancient mysticism
are nothing more than a scary bedtime story.
As always, I’ll be your host Jack Finch
- as today, we’re stepping into the strange,
and secretive sect of a long lost society
- in 5 Scary Ancient Cults.
Let’s begin.
We all have that thought - hell, most of the
paranormal is somehow pinned to a shadowy,
ancient society that lurks in the corners
of reality, explaining itself through bizarre
coded messages and strange, twisted rites
of initiation.
The word Cult is synonymous with the otherworldly.
Something that is outside of our specific
social safety - a threat to the very fabric
of our own world.
Something that lingers in obscurity, gaining
power, as it remains hidden.
The ancient world is littered with such instances
- in some cases, just a scrawling of a single
word on a cave wall - but in others, entire
temples and caverns of worship.
Kicking off at Number 5 - The Oracle of Delphi
At the very centre of the ancient Greek World,
is a strange - hidden chasm that has been
thought as fuel for the netherworld for thousands
of years.
On the slopes of Mount Parnassus, underneath
the colossal Temple of Apollo - the seeds
of the Delphic Mystery Cult came into fruition.
In essence, the Oracle of Delphi was a fortune
teller.
The High Priestess of the Temple, known as
the Pythia - which in ancient Greek translates
as the verb, “to rot” - in reference to
the slain, monstrous Python at the center
of their belief.
The Pythia would sit above a huge chasm, deep
in the bowels of the Temple, and breathe in
a concoction from the depths below - thought
to give her hallucinogenic properties that
would induce prophecy.
So accurate were her predictions though, that
the Pythia was thought to be the most influential
women in the classical world.
Whoever held the title, would go on to influence
the decisions of Alexander the Great, Croesus
and King Leonidas.
Coming in at Number 4 - Mithraism
Also known as the Mithraic mysteries - this
ancient Roman cult was centred on the god
Mithras - an ancient Persian god, which is
also tied to the Sanskrit Mitra - a god of
the sun.
Now, if we’re talking the stereotypical
aspects of a cult - then this is where it
all started.
Strange, complex sets of initiation, secret
handshakes and bizzare, ordained meetings
in hidden, underground temples.
A lot of them are still around today, actually
- one of the best preserved being in London,
England - of all places.
Just a few steps away from the Bank of England,
is London’s Mithraeum - where ancient Roman
soldiers would meet in secrecy, and whisper
the name of their god.
But - what’s so scary about that, eh?
Sounds harmless enough.
Well - these guys were totally obsessed with
Mithras’ slaying of a bull, and ritualistically
reenacted it whenever they got the chance
with live animals and the consumption of flesh.
Gradually, this kind of got out of hand, and
/people/ became part of the menu.
Yep - cannibalism.
Also - a little bit scary, but many people
believe the Mithraic Cult is still around
today - lurking somewhere in the shadows.
And next at Number 3 - Cult of Isis
Popping over to Ancient Egypt - the phrase
death cult doesn’t get more death-y than
the Cult of Isis.
Incredibly popular with Ancient Grecian and
Roman society, the goddess Isis was central
in the Old Kingdom’s Osiris myth - where
her husband, the Divine King Osiris, was slain
- and resurrected by her hand.
The mysteries of Isis were strangely popular
in the ancient world - where initiates to
the cult would undergo elaborate ritual purification,
before being brought into the innermost part
of Isis’ temple - the catch though, was
that they had to pledge their mortal soul
to the goddess of rebirth.
Sounds innocent enough - but this often meant
that somewhere, someone along the line was
getting ritualistically sacrificed.
Swinging in at Number 2 - Ashurism
We’ve covered these guys quite regularly
in our Demon series, but if you didn’t know,
Ashurism is pretty gnarly business.
Known as the national cult of the Assyrian
people, where the majority of ancient Assyria
chose to worship a polytheistic religion with
thousands of different gods - similar to that
of Ancient Babylonia.
They shared many creation myths to that of
Judaism and Christianity - such as the Great
Flood and the Tower of Babel - but what separates
Ashurism is it’s fascination with demonism,
and their willingness to worship.
For example - the tale of Lilith - Adam’s
first wife, who went on to become the demonic
queen of Succubi.
Although you could argue that this is just,
in essence, a collection of smaller cults
- Ashurism didn’t come into written fruition
until after the fall of the Assyrian empire
- where these cults were continued to be worshipped
in the surviving city of Assur.
This became a melting pot for Ashurism - with
the cults of Sin, Nikkal, Bel, Nabu and Tammuz
being twisted into a fervent blend of godhood
and demonism.
Mass ritualistic sacrifice, stake burnings,
cannibalism.
It all went down here.
And finally at Number 1 - The Knights Templar
This wouldn’t be an Ancient Cult list without
everybody’s favourite shadowy secret society
- the Knights Templar.
Also known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of
Christ and of the Temple of Solomon - that’s
a mouth full, the Knights Templar were a Catholic
military order recognised in 1139 by the Papal
Bull of the Holy See.
Although records state that the Templar were
active until about 1312 - the orders main
functionality was prominence in Christian
finance.
They managed a large economic infrastructure
throughout Christianity - developing financial
techniques that would later become an early
form of banking.
In essence, they were the world's first multinational
corporation.
Which - you know, has lead many people to
believe that they’re still around to this
very day, just in another form.
Queue conspiracy music.
Their initiation rites are still shrouded
in secrecy - where outsiders were discouraged
from attending the ceremony, over fear of
its sensitive nature.
This led to the suspicion of medieval inquisitors
- and eventually, the acquisition and execution
of over 90% of the orders members - who were
burned at the stake.
What did they discover?
Well - no one really knows, but it constituted
a pretty harsh response.
Well - what do you guys think?
Are the Knights Templar still lurking somewhere
in the shadows?
Speak your mind in the comment box down below.
As always - it’s been a pleasuring making
this video for you all, and I hope you’ve
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as always - I’ve been your host Jack Finch,
and until next time, take it easy.
