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"So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death!"
The Tale of the Three Brothers by Beedle the Bard[src]

Antioch Peverell (fl. 1214) was a pure-blood[3] wizard, the eldest brother of Cadmus and Ignotus. Antioch, like his brothers, was skilled in the magical arts, but personally was described as being a "combative man". Antioch and his brothers were the inspiration for the The Tale of the Three Brothers and thus the original masters of the Deathly Hallows.[4]

Antioch was said to have possessed the Elder Wand,[4] though beyond Dumbledore's theory that he had crafted it himself and the story saying he had been murdered in his sleep for it, the exact circumstances of this are unknown.[5]

Biography[]

Meeting Death[]

The Tale of the Three Brothers - Death produces a wand

Death creating the Elder Wand for Antioch

In the The Tale of the Three Brothers, the Peverell brothers are described as having received the Hallows from Death himself, after using their magical talents to cross a treacherous river that would have assuredly killed them otherwise.

Antioch, for his prize, asked for "a wand more powerful than any other in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death!" and so Death crossed to a nearby Elder tree on the banks of the river, made a wand from a branch, and gave it to Antioch.[4]

Ownership of the Elder Wand and Death[]

Antioch Peverell's Death

Antioch's last moments

Later, the three brothers separated. Antioch travelled towards a distant village, and sought out a wizard with whom he had a quarrel. With the Elder Wand as his weapon, Antioch easily won the duel that followed and killed his opponent. Leaving his enemy dead, Antioch lodged in an inn to celebrate. In the inn he drunkenly boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched "from Death himself", and of how it made him invincible.

That night, as he slept, another wizard crept upon him, stole the wand, and slit his throat to make sure Antioch was unable to come after the thief afterwards.[4]

Post-mortem[]

Following his death, Antioch was laid to rest in the churchyard by the Parish Church of St. Clementine, in Godric's Hollow, along with his brothers Cadmus and Ignotus.[6]

Antioch was a distant relative of both Tom Marvolo Riddle and Harry Potter, as each was descended from one of his brothers, Cadmus Peverell and Ignotus Peverell respectively.[7]

Personality and traits[]

According to The Tale of the Three Brothers, Antioch was a man who desired beyond everything to be an all powerful wizard. Although he was already very powerful, he was not satisfied and immediately took his chance to gain a wand from Death that would make him unbeatable. Antioch's desire for such power made him blind to Death's true intentions, however, and he later proved to be very self-indulgent and weak-willed when he boasted about how powerful his new wand was to the public. Antioch was very irresponsible and unwise in this manner, consuming a dangerous amount of alcohol then leaving his wand and himself unprotected on the night of his murder. Antioch's recklessness and egotism caused him to be the first of the Peverell brothers to fall into Death's cunning hands.[4] He was also the only one of the three who did not die willingly.

Magical abilities and skills[]

  • Transfiguration: Antioch and his brothers were capable of using Conjuration, a highly advanced form of magic to create a bridge stable enough to walk across (in the tale).[4]
  • Duelling: Antioch was very skilled in martial magic and was capable of killing an opponent in a duel and coming out of the battle unscathed, though this was mostly due to his wielding of the Elder Wand (according to the tale).[4]
  • Wandmaking (possibly): No one knows for certain how Antioch came to possess the Elder Wand. Although The Tales of Beedle the Bard claimed that the wand was given to Antioch by Death,[4] however others, such as Albus Dumbledore, theorised that Antioch created the wand himself.[5]

Etymology[]

  • His name may be a reference to the city of Antioch, a chief centre of early Christianity.
  • "Antiochos" was, among other things, the name of several kings of the Hellenic Seleucid Empire.[8]
  • The name "Antiochus" may refer to a number of figures in Greek mythology.[9]

Behind the scenes[]

Antioch concept

Concept art of Antioch

Appearances[]

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The Harry Potter Wiki has 27 images related to Antioch Peverell.

Notes and references[]

  1. Harry Potter Film Wizardry (see this image) As Antioch is the oldest of the three brothers, he must have been born before Ignotus.
  2. Harry Potter Film Wizardry (see this image) As Antioch dies first of the three brothers, his date of death must be before Ignotus'
  3. 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 22 (The Deathly Hallows) - "The only place I’ve managed to find the name ‘Peverell’ is Nature’s Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy. I borrowed it from Kreacher,” she explained as Ron raised his eyebrows. “It lists the pure-blood families that are now extinct in the male line. Apparently the Peverells were one of the earliest families to vanish.”"
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 21 (The Tale of the Three Brothers)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 35 (King's Cross)
  6. Pottermore - Explore the story: "Godric's Hollow graveyard"
  7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 22 (The Deathly Hallows)
  8. WP favicon Antiochus on Wikipedia
  9. WP favicon Antiochus (mythology) on Wikipedia
The Tales of Beedle the Bard
By Beedle the Bard
Tales of Beedle the Bard
Stories

Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump · The Fountain of Fair Fortune · The Warlock's Hairy Heart · The Tale of the Three Brothers · The Wizard and the Hopping Pot

Characters

Altheda · Amata · Amata's lover · Antioch Peverell · Antioch Peverell's enemy · Antioch Peverell's killer · Asha · Babbitty · Brigade of Witch-Hunters · Cadmus Peverell · Cadmus Peverell's fiancée · Captain of the Brigade of Witch-Hunters · Charlatan · Death · Evil sorcerer · Gigantic white worm · Ignotus Peverell · Ignotus Peverell's son · King · Maiden · Maiden's kinsfolk · Old man · Old man's donkey · Old man's family · Peasant woman · Peasant woman's granddaughter · Sabre · Sir Luckless · Warlock · Warlock's family · Warlock's friends · Wizard · Wizard's father · Young woman · Young woman's child

Objects

Altheda's potion · Altheda's wand · Cloak of Invisibility · Creepers · Crystal casket · Elder Wand · Fountain · Gold statue of Babbitty · Hairy Heart · The Hopping Pot · Poisonous toadstool · Poultice for warts · Resurrection Stone · Silver chalice

Locations

Altheda's home · Cadmus Peverell's house · Enchanted garden · Lonely, winding road · Never-ending hill · River

Known owners of the Deathly Hallows
Hallows
Elder Wand
Death (manufacturer) · Antioch Peverell · Antioch Peverell's killer · Emeric the Evil · Egbert the Egregious · Godelot · Hereward · Barnabas Deverill · Loxias · Arcus or Livius · Mykew Gregorovitch · Gellert Grindelwald · Albus Dumbledore · Draco Malfoy (master only) · Tom Riddle (owner only) · Harry Potter · (Interred)
Resurrection Stone
Death (manufacturer) · Cadmus Peverell · (generations of Gaunts) · Marvolo Gaunt · Morfin Gaunt · Tom Riddle · Albus Dumbledore · Harry Potter · (Lost)
Cloak of Invisibility
Death (manufacturer) · Ignotus Peverell · Ignotus Peverell's son · Iolanthe Potter · (generations of Potters) · Henry Potter · Fleamont Potter · James Potter (I) · Albus Dumbledore (owner only) · Harry Potter · James Sirius Potter · Albus Potter
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