Alteran

"Well, it stands to reason that they weren't always called the Ancients."

- Daniel Jackson

The Alterans were the first evolution of humanity. They would eventually split into two factions: the Ancients and the Ori.

History
"The Ori have amassed armies and move to destroy us. Everything we believe, all we are, is an affront to them. They will stop at nothing to destroy every last shred of evidence that opposes their fanaticism."

- Amelius

Tens, possibly even hundreds, of millions of years ago, the Alterans (the first evolution of humanity) lived together as one society in a distant galaxy along the evolutionary path to ascension. They developed many advanced technologies, such as the Stargate, advanced healing technologies, and intergalactic communication devices. However, a philosophical division soon emerged among the Alterans, dividing them into two factions: the Ancients (still calling themselves the Alterans), who came to rely more heavily on science and rationality, and the Ori, who continued to become more and more fervent in their religious beliefs. Merlin indicated however, that when the Ori started out they had good intentions that got corrupted.

Ultimately, the Ori became so extreme in their beliefs that the two factions split apart and began to oppose each other, culminating in the Ori attempting to wipe the Ancients out. The Ancients were too few in numbers, however, and were ultimately forced to hide their ways. Though they considered using their knowledge to defend themselves, they faced a war of attrition, one they ultimately believed that they could not win. To avoid genocide, the Ancients built a ship and left their home galaxy, while the Ori remained. After many thousands of years, the exiled Alterans discovered the Milky Way, where they would directly and indirectly influence much of galactic (and intergalactic) history.

The Alterans and the Ori later both Ascended and even on the higher plane the Ori were determined to destroy the Alterans, now known as the Ancients. Later, the Ori were destroyed by Daniel Jackson with the help of Merlin and his weapon.

Philosophy
"We believe in the systematic understanding of the physical world through observation and experimentation, through argument and debate, but, most of all, freedom of will."

- Alteran Woman

The Ancients believed in science, reason, and logic. Knowledge and enlightenment were fundamental to their world view. They believed that the universe was to be studied, and that scientific experimentation was essential to gaining understanding. Most importantly, the Alterans believed in free will. To them, the right to believe whatever a person wants is more important than anything else. This has been to their detriment, however, as it has been that very belief in free will that forced them to respect the rights of the Ori in believing their fanaticism. They also believed that they did not have the right to restrict the freedom of the followers of Origin to believe in the Ori by "brainwashing" the true nature of the Ori into their followers for much the same reasons.

Technology
The Alterans, being one of the first forms of sentient life to evolve in the universe had developed many advanced forms of technology before they left their galaxy. Ranging from wormhole technology, advanced healing technologies, and intergalactic communication devices, the Alterans were one of the most advanced races in the known universe. They had also developed intergalactic hyperdrive technology long before sentient life had developed on Earth. Even the Asgard, the second most advanced race known to the Tau'ri, have expressed their amazement at the wealth of knowledge the Alterans possessed. Another piece of technology they created and ultimately abandoned was the Ark of Truth, a device meant to brainwash the Ori's followers into believing the truth, but abandoned it as they believed it was unethical.

Physiology
Although the Alterans are human in appearance, their physiology is much more advanced, with a heightened intellect and capacity to store knowledge. It has been suggested by not only Carson Beckett, but also the Ancients (specifically Janus) themselves, that the human Alterans, those who would later become the Ancients and the Ori, were the first evolution of humanity. It has also been implied that the current human species evolved as such due to the actions of the Ancients and the Ori, since two species progressing along identical evolutionary paths is virtually impossible. The Ancients later created the "second evolution" of their species, in both the Milky Way and Pegasus Galaxy, and it is also likely that the Ori created their own second evolution in their home galaxy to serve as worshipers of the Origin faith.

Towards the end of their evolutionary development, but still before they ascended, the Alterans developed numerous advanced and varied abilities, such as:


 * Telepathy
 * Telekinesis
 * Superhuman Senses
 * Superhuman Speed
 * Superhuman Strength
 * Precognition
 * Perfect Health
 * Healing Factor
 * Healing Touch
 * Kinetic Mind: ability to use many parts of your mind and fully focus on something.

These abilities are varied between individuals. Usually not all the abilities listed are present in one individual, but are all potentially possible, including abilities not yet known. The Ancients (Alterans) did create devices which can transfer all or some of these powers to an individual without causing them to ascend, such as Merlin's version of the repository of knowledge.