In ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, royal families wore sapphires to protect themselves from envy and negative enemies. It was also worn when consulting oracles to awaken the "third eye." In the Persian Empire, rulers believed that the sky was painted blue with the reflection of sapphires. In the middle ages, clergymen wore blue sapphires to symbolize the promise of heaven and divine blessings. Many ancient cultures also valued the rare star sapphire as a protector against evil.