12 Real-Life 'Wizards' From History

Humans are creative beings, and it can be argued that perhaps our most supernatural power is our imagination. Using that power, we’ve ascribed magic to things we couldn’t understand. And, so we, present a list of historical ‘wizards,’ from mathematicians to rabbis to alchemists to healers who definitely walked among us, even if the facts regarding them are cloaked in mythology. Although their magic may not (okay, definitely wasn't) real, the actual humans were. And some, like Nicholas Flamel and Rasputin, because fictional characters themselves, which isn't helping us sort out fact from fiction any easier.

In the Middle Ages, it seems scientists used “magic” to help justify science, especially among religious leaders. Throughout history, claiming magical ability also helped people born in poverty rise up through social classes. After death, the myth of magic was often used to villainize or heroize a historical figure. Most recently, people studied the occult, often as a response against the dominant religion.