The Native Magush - The Greek Idea of the Magos

The magush were religious specialists in the achaemenid empire. They had special powers and a set of special ritual practices. And they obviously made a big impression on the Greeks. The evidence seems to suggest that the Greeks viewed the figure of the Makush as a pretty sinister sort of cat who made bad stuff happen through powerful rituals. But also potentially as someone who was on especially close speaking terms with the gods.