History

The Alterans and the Ori

Millions of years ago, the (presumably) first evolution of mankind lived in a distant galaxy along the evolutionary path to ascension. At the time, the Ori and the Alterans were not distinguished from each other, and lived in one society. However, a philosophical division emerged. The Ori grew more and more fervent in their religious belief, while the Alterans (from altera, Latin: the other(s)), adopted a more scientific/rational outlook. Ultimately, their viewpoints diverged so much that the two groups split apart and began to oppose each other, culminating in the Ori attempting to destroy the Alterans. Instead of going to war, the Alterans decided to leave their galaxy, and began searching for a new home.

After much time, believed by Daniel Jackson to be thousands of years, the Alterans discovered the Milky Way, where they eventually built an impressive empire. They settled on Earth, their new capital, which they called Terra. The Ancients built Astria Porta (Stargates) across many planets, most of which were probably colonized by the race.[3] It is disputed that Earth is the capital. However, as the planet's original Stargate, eventually discovered by SG-1 in Antarctica, was the oldest gate ever encountered, Earth was also considered to be the home of the Ancients when they fled Atlantis.[4] It was also once the location of one of the Ancient City Ships, Atlantis, before it moved to the Pegasus Galaxy.[5] Other important planets they have colonized were Proclarush Taonas[6], Dakara[7] and Valos Cor.[8]

Although exiled to another galaxy, the Alterans still remained in contact with their distant cousins, the Ori, evidenced by the discovery of long-range communication devices in both the Milky Way and the Ori home galaxy.[9] Still, the two factions remained bitter enemies. Eventually, the Alterans were afflicted with a terrible plague that wiped out most of their civilization.[10] It would later be discovered that what was known of this plague is very similar to the disease used by Ori Priors against non-believers, which had led Daniel Jackson to speculate that the pre-Ascended Ori might have been responsible for this plague.

Some Ancients apparently attempted to travel back through time to escape the plague, with not much success. It has been stated that the Ancients who remained in the Milky Way galaxy either ascended or died out. However, according to Anubis, the Ancients had attempted to recreate life after the plague in the Milky Way using the Dakara Superweapon. The current evolution of humanity on Earth could be the result of this attempt.

Pegasus Galaxy

Several million years ago, several Ancients departed Earth in their city-sized spaceship, 'Atlantis' which at that time was situated on Earth, on the continent Antarctica. The exact reason for their departure is unknown, although Daniel Jackson speculated that they might have left to escape the plague that was devastating their civilization at the time. One known Ancient (later named Ayiana by the researchers who discovered her perfectly preserved in Antarctica) was left behind. The fact that Ayiana was infected with the Ancient plague when she was revived would seem to confirm Jackson's conjections.

After arriving in the Pegasus Galaxy, the Alterans settled on a planet they named 'Lantea', calling themselves 'Lanteans' from that time forward (also, they have been referred to as 'Atlanteans' by members of the Atlantis Expedition - a name often used by the peoples of Pegasus to describe the expedition members). Finding Pegasus devoid of sentient life, the Lanteans dispersed humans and Stargates across their new home galaxy, protecting the newly-populated planets and occasionally inhabiting them (usually concealing their true identities as Alterans. The humans seeded by the Alterans came to know them as 'the Ancestors'. However, at some point they encountered a leech-like organism called the 'Iratus bug', which po