User blog comment:TheArcheologist/Desmond and "The Truth"/@comment-1142365-20091230210854

Because Minerva, one of "those who came before", is able to talk right to Desmond (and indirectly to Ezio), I believe that the Assassins as a "race" as such are indeed related to those who came before.

However a more plausible theory is that the Assassins, not just Altair or Ezio, are related to Adam+Eve, which they most certainly are considering they are not affected by the piece of eden.

I've also assumed that the Templars are related to those who came before.