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[ila]

Originally Posted by sesame

Where did the word Assassin come from?



Hash-shashin in Arabic, refers to an ancient Ismail-Persian sect, skilled in the art of killing. (sort of Arabic Ninjas). They lived in N. Iran near Alamoot between 780-1330AD; and were also called as Nissari's. They secretly formed a society that organised political and religious murders of the noblemen of antipathetic sects.

I believe the origin is in Persian. A ruler/tribal chief in Persia used to give his mercenaries hash to get high before they went out to eliminate their enemies. The orginal word was hashasin. (I didn't need your hint btw)