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[[Image:TechPriestArtNew.jpg|thumb|right|A Tech-priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus {{Fn|52}}]]

The birthplace of the Martian Mechanicum was the ancient Forge World Mars. Mars was colonised early in human history, and developed separately from [[Terra]], both culturally and technologically. The arid surface of Mars was terraformed, and under a man-made atmosphere the colony flourished.{{Fn|1}}

During the [[Dark Age of Technology]], the two empires of Terra and Mars co-existed, to the mutual benefit of both. At the height of its splendour during the Golden Age, and even later in the anarchic [[Age of Strife]], Mars dispatched hundreds of colony fleets into the void. Many perished in the terrible [[Warp storm]]s that engulfed the [[galaxy]] at that time, but others survived. Those that did founded new worlds in the name of the Machine God, building on them a likeness of the great factories and temples of their distant home world. The Age of Strife brought an end to the glory and peace of the [[human]] domains. Across the galaxy mankind suddenly turned upon itself as a new breed of Warp-attuned humans emerged. Civil war engulfed thousands of human worlds, including the twin empires of Terra and Mars.{{Fn|1}}

Now unified under the Cult Mechanicus, the Priesthood of Mars began to dispatch [[Explorator Fleet]]s across the galaxy and even plundered the surface of war-torn [[Terra]] itself in hopes of discovering lost technologies. Facing resistance to their quest on the planet's surface, the Adeptus Mechanicus soon became bitter enemies with the [[Techno-barbarian]]s which plagued Terra and thus welcomed the eventual arrival of the [[Emperor]].{{Fn|6}}

===Union with the Imperium===