Secret societies have existed for thousands of years.  In many instances persecuted political groups were forced underground to carry out there agenda in stealth and in secret.  Sometimes these secret society's would be places were secret esoteric knowledge deemed to powerful and sacred would be kept within these societies and passed down generation to generation.   The catholic church's persecution of heretics forced many different spiritual traditions underground.  The knights Templar was a military order within the church church during the middle ages and the crusades.  The order built a large economic infrastructure in Europe.  They owned tens of thousands of acres all over Europe and thousands of churches as well.  However they were famous for their search of the holy grail.  Many people theorized that they discovered something significant at the temple mount in  Jerusalem, perhaps the Holy Grail or the ark of the covenant, but it was believed this order contained many secrets.  Due to their rising power in Europe the point, Pope Clement the 5th and King Phillip, disbanded the order, looted their assets and tried to murder as many Templars as possible.  The Templars went underground.  Soon different secret societies would pop up ie the Rosicrucian order, and free-masonary.  It has been documented that ancient egyptian culture would have an impact of the secret practices and meaning of masonary.  King Solomon, the ark of the covenant and Kings Solomon's temple would also play a major theme in masonry   The common theme of these society was to protect knowledge from the catholic church who would routinely burn books and heretics.  

Free masonry still exists today.  It has been theorized that there have been over 33 degrees of masonry, each level being equated with new revelations of transcendental knowledge.  Some people believe that secret societies run the world today the most powerful being the Illuminati.  People cite esoteric symbols and patterns in bedded in money, corporations, buildings, and street alignments as signs that secret societies are still in power today.  The United States of America's founding father were all mason's for instance.  

There are organizations created by oligarchs to help them consolidate power, build consensus for their goals and objectives. These organizations  works by secrecy as well.  The trilateral commission, the bildgergurg group, the council on foreign relations and the bohemian grove club are all organizations that work with secrecy when promoting there agenda. Most world leaders have been members or have attended these organizations. These organization get very little media attention, many media moguls are members of these organizations and attend meetings.

Secret Societies provide a network for individuals to pass information and ideas to others.  It is a store for knowledge and intelligence.  It is even rumoured that secret societies stem back thousands of years. This section will provide evidence  of secret societies.