Persia's Hash-Eating Assassins: The Ḥashshāshīn

The ancient stoner hitmen of the Middle East.

The Order of Assassins was a medieval Islamic cult made up of highly trained and suicidal hitmen who terrorized the Middle East for over 150 years (1090–1275). 

Agents of The Order were known to use innovative methods to assassinate opposing political leaders. Through their remarkable ability to infiltrate and deliver lethal blows to enemies, assassins from the order were able to kill numerous “untouchable” kings, caliphs, and nobles over the years.

What made the order so unique was its rigorous indoctrination process, which converted young men into "fedayeen"— warriors willing to sacrifice their lives for The Order's cause to earn a place in paradise.

Young men interested in joining the Order were required to climb to the Eagles Nest — a large castle perched amidst snow-capped mountains 2000 meters above the Caspian Sea (now in modern-day Iran).

Once inside the fortress, boys were forced to undergo grueling training — honing their physical and mental capabilities, sharpening their combat skills, and radicalizing their beliefs to fight fanatically for The Order’s cause.

The Order was led by Hasan-i Sabbah, also called the “Old Man of the Mountain.”

The assassins worked fervently to further Sabbah's own interpretations of Shia Islamic beliefs.

Sabbah's sect was known as the Nizari Ismailis — a splinter-off of Shia Islam that frequently made enemies with other Shia Muslims. 

The Sunnis, another branch of Islam, were also in opposition to Nizari Ismaili. Sunni-Shia conflict dates back to the 7th century, rooted in a dispute over the rightful successor to Prophet Muhammad.

Needless to say, the Old Man of the Mountain and his assassins had numerous enemies throughout The Levant.

As a cautionary measure, The Old Man was said to have never left his castle during his reign. He was hopelessly outnumbered but well-fortified and stocked with a legendary library, lavish gardens, and scientific laboratories.

The Eagles Nest (previously called the Alamut castle) proved to be an ideal staging ground for an innovative campaign revolving around the conversion of local youth into ruthless killers.

Old Man of the Mountain: Hasan-i Sabbah

"Nothing is true; everything is permitted" — Hasan-i Sabbah

The Old Man's Magic Mind Control Potion

The fear and mystique surrounding assassins stemmed from their ability to infiltrate and strike as a unified team — several members often attacked targets in close quarters with daggers. What made them even more fearsome was their fanatical willingness to die in the process.

For years, the devotion of the assassins was explained by a tale recounted by the Venetian explorer and storyteller Marco Polo. 

According to Polo, the initiates of The Order drink a potion that sent them into a deep sleep. He recounts in his controversial book The Travels how the Old Man won his followers' unwavering loyalty:

"The biggest and most beautiful garden that has ever been seen had been laid out in a valley between two mountains. It was filled with all the choicest fruits in the world.

And in this garden, he had ordered the construction of the most exquisite houses and palaces that were ever seen, for they were gilded and decorated with scenes depicting all the loveliest things in the world. 

He had also had conduits installed there, some of which flowed with wine, some with milk, some with honey, and some with water. 

The most bewitching women and girls in the world were brought to live there, and they were more accomplished at playing every kind of instrument and at singing and dancing than any other women. 

And the Old Man gave his men to understand that this garden was Paradise."

Polo says the drugged and seduced initiates were led to believe the Old Man was a prophet who could give them access to paradise. The recruits remained in the garden until the Old Man gave them another potion and brought them back into the real world. 

Then, with a promise of returning to paradise upon their death, they were sent on increasingly more dangerous missions — all the while, these new recruits were kept under close observation.

For ordinary folk, such an experience would no doubt leave a lasting impact. 

The potion initiates were later given was believed to have contained a combination of psychoactive drugs — presumably hashish and opium, but also other psychoactive botanicals. 

But it wasn’t the drugs that secured their fierce loyalty… Even the lowly farmers living in the quiet nearby valleys had access to hash and opium. Most of them were already widely available in local bazaars, and both could be grown in the region.

It was likely the experience of such a luxurious pleasure garden, paired with the charisma and skillful manipulation of the group's leader, that cemented their devotion.

Similar woo tactics have been employed countless times over the years in cults like Heaven's Gate, Aum Shinrikyo, and People’s Temple (Jonestown Cult). 

The administration of stupifying (and potentially psychedelic) drugs used in combination with other tactics like surveillance, reality distortion, and fear-based control have proven to be powerful tools for manipulating minds and binding them to the “greater cause.”

The Art & Practice of the Ḥashshāshīn

There’s been plenty of depictions of The Order of Assassins over the years. Some have done their best to remain historically accurate; others are merely inspired by the order’s shadowy practices.

Pop-culture depictions of The Order of Assassins include:

• The Assassin’s Creed (Video Game Series) — The story revolves around a heavily fictionalized Ḥashshāshīn order.

• Marco Polo (Series) — The emperor Kublai Khan is attacked by a group of Hashshashin led by the Old Man of the Mountain.

• Game of Thrones (Series) — The Faceless Men, a guild of assassins first outlined in the book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, was inspired by the Order of Assassins.

• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Video Game & Film) — Features an assassin organization that is reminiscent of the Hashshashin in their methods and dedication.

• Dune (Novel & Film Series) — The Fremen Fedaykin (derived from “fedayeen”) were elite warriors fiercely loyal to their leader Paul Atreides. They draw inspiration from the Ḥashshāshīn in their fanatical dedication, skillful execution of violence, and willingness to sacrifice their lives for their cause.

The allure of The Order stems from their highly mysterious and specialized practices, which often revolved around the skillful and strategic use of stealth, manipulation, and violence.