Aamon

Aamon, also known as Amon or Nahum, is a demon in the tradition of Western demonology, classified as the seventh spirit among the seventy-two demons enumerated in the Ars Goetia, the first section of the 17th-century grimoire The Lesser Key of Solomon. He holds the rank of Great Marquis of Hell and governs forty legions of infernal spirits, making him a significant figure in Solomonic magic for his reputed abilities to reconcile controversies between friends, procure feuds, and reveal truthful knowledge of past and future events.^[1] In the Ars Goetia, Aamon is described as initially manifesting in the form of a wolf with a serpent's tail, from whose mouth he vomits flames of fire; however, at the command of the magician, he assumes a humanoid shape featuring a raven's head and dog's teeth.^[1] This portrayal underscores his stern and powerful nature, positioning him as a spirit suited for evocation in rituals aimed at resolving conflicts or gaining hidden insights, though always under the strict control of the summoner to avoid his fiery temperament.^[1] Aamon's depiction traces back to earlier demonological texts, including Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), where he appears as a mighty marquis first in the likeness of a wolf with a serpent's tail vomiting flames, then as a man with a raven's head, emphasizing his role in the reconciliation of friends and foes while commanding forty legions.^[2] These accounts reflect the syncretic influences of Renaissance occultism, blending classical and medieval elements into a hierarchical infernal cosmology that influenced later grimoires and esoteric traditions.^[2]

Etymology and Names

Origins of the Name

The name Aamon in demonological texts is derived from the Hebrew term "Amon," which can mean "master workman" or "artisan," as seen in biblical contexts such as Proverbs 8:30 where it describes a figure of skill and nurture.^[3] This etymology aligns with connotations of hidden knowledge and creation, paralleling the Egyptian god Amun (later syncretized as Amon-Ra), whose name stems from the root "imn," signifying "the hidden one" or "invisible," reflecting his role as a concealed creator deity omnipresent in the air and wind.^[4] Demonologists have long associated the infernal Aamon with this ancient god, suggesting a reinterpretation of pagan divinity into Christian occult hierarchies during the medieval period. Possible connections exist between the name and the biblical King Amon of Judah (2 Kings 21:18-26), a ruler noted for idolatry and short reign, whose Hebrew name shares the same root implying faithfulness or craftsmanship but twisted in demonological lore to evoke treachery.^[3] The name first appears in medieval demonology in Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), a catalog of 69 demons appended to his treatise De praestigiis daemonum, where Aamon is described as a mighty marquis commanding 40 legions. This work marks the earliest systematic reference, drawing from earlier cabbalistic and pseudepigraphic traditions without specifying etymological origins. In subsequent texts, the spelling evolved; English translations of the Lesser Key of Solomon (Lemegeton, circa 17th century) render it as "Amon," simplifying the diphthong while preserving the core attributes, as seen in the Ars Goetia section. This variation reflects orthographic shifts in Latin-to-vernacular adaptations.

Alternative Names and Variations

Aamon appears under various spellings and aliases in demonological literature, with the most common variants being Amon, Ammon, and occasionally Nahum in modern compilations. These differences arise primarily from inconsistencies in manuscript transcriptions and translations of medieval grimoires.^[5] In the 1904 edition of The Goetia edited by S.L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley, the spirit is consistently referred to as Amon, reflecting the editors' standardization based on earlier Latin sources like Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), where it appears as "Amon, or Aamon."^[5] The Dictionnaire Infernal (1863) by Jacques Collin de Plancy employs "Amon ou Aamon," highlighting the dual form in French occult tradition.^[6] The spelling Ammon occurs in certain English-language occult texts, such as those drawing on broader mythological associations, potentially influenced by regional adaptations or scribal preferences in 19th-century translations. Nahum serves as an occasional alias in later demonological works. Such variations often stem from scribal errors during the copying of grimoires, phonetic interpretations across languages, or deliberate alterations to obscure invocations from the uninitiated, ensuring the names' fluidity in esoteric transmission. These spellings loosely connect to Hebrew roots explored in the etymology, where forms like Amun evoke ancient divine connotations.^[5]

Description in Grimoires

Physical Appearance

In the Ars Goetia, a key grimoire within the Lesser Key of Solomon, Aamon is depicted as initially manifesting in a monstrous form: a wolf with a serpent's tail, from whose mouth flames of fire are vomited. This fierce, hybrid appearance underscores his infernal ferocity, and he is compelled by the summoner's command to assume a human shape thereafter.^[7] In Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), Aamon appears as a great and mighty marquis, first in the form of a wolf with a serpentine tail vomiting flames of fire, and then, in human form, showing dog-like teeth in a head like a mighty raven.^[2] The Dictionnaire Infernal by Jacques Collin de Plancy provides an alternative visual representation in its 1863 edition, illustrating Aamon with the body of a wolf, a serpent tail, and the head of an owl equipped with sharp teeth, from which he spits fire. This owl-headed variant emphasizes a more avian, predatory aspect while retaining the core lupine and serpentine elements from earlier texts. The serpent tail in these depictions symbolizes deception and the twisting, treacherous nature of infernal entities, drawing from broader symbolic traditions in European demonology where serpents represent cunning and betrayal. Additionally, certain demonological accounts associate Aamon with heightened power during daytime hours.^[8]

Powers and Abilities

In the Ars Goetia, Aamon possesses the supernatural ability to discern all matters of the past, present, and future, including hidden secrets pertaining to individuals.^[7] Furthermore, Aamon holds the power to mediate disputes, reconciling adversaries and even compelling mutual affection between friends or foes as per the evocator's will.^[7] Aamon's influence extends to domains of interpersonal harmony, where his reconciliatory abilities are invoked to mend fractured relationships and promote unity.^[7] These attributes underscore his role in evocation practices aimed at emotional and relational restoration. According to the Goetia, summoning Aamon requires the use of his specific seal to ensure obedience and prevent discord.^[7] He manifests initially in a formidable guise but, upon the magician's command, assumes a more congenial form, rendering him amenable to instruction.^[7] This transformation highlights the controlled invocation process central to Goetic rituals.

Role in Demonology

Rank and Hierarchy

In the Ars Goetia, the first section of the Lesser Key of Solomon, Aamon is classified as the seventh spirit among the 72 demons, holding the rank of Marquis of Hell.^[5] He commands 40 legions of infernal spirits, a number that places him in a mid-tier position within the Goetic hierarchy, below kings who govern up to 200 legions (such as Paimon) but above earls or presidents with fewer than 30.^[5] The Pseudomonarchia Daemonum by Johann Weyer similarly lists Aamon as the seventh demon and describes him as a "great and mighty marques," affirming his marquis rank and command over 40 legions, though the text catalogs only 69 spirits overall.^[2] This equivalence in numbering and authority underscores the close relationship between the two grimoires, with Weyer's work serving as a key precursor to the Ars Goetia. Aamon's marquis title aligns him with other mid-level Goetic demons such as Forneus (29 legions) or Marchosias (30 legions), sharing a hierarchical equivalence in overseeing substantial but not supreme forces.^[5] While Agares (31 legions) and Valefor (10 legions) hold duke ranks, their command structures parallel Aamon's in scale and infernal organization.^[5] Primary sources consistently use "Marquis."

Associations and Symbolism

Aamon holds a significant place within the infernal hierarchy as one of the 72 demons enumerated in the Ars Goetia section of the Lesser Key of Solomon, where he is identified as the seventh spirit and implied to originate as a fallen angel in broader Christian demonological traditions.^[1]^[8] This positioning underscores his role in the structured order of hellish entities bound by King Solomon, emphasizing themes of constraint and revelation in esoteric lore. Central to Aamon's symbolic profile is his association with life and reproduction, drawing from his described powers to reconcile estranged parties and foster love between individuals, thereby embodying fertility and relational harmony.^[1] These attributes evoke the creative and restorative forces of existence, mirroring aspects of the Egyptian deity Amun, from whom Aamon's name and characteristics are believed to derive, as Amun was revered as a god of fertility and hidden creative power.^[9] His hybrid form—a wolf with a serpent's tail—further symbolizes primal vitality intertwined with cunning renewal, linking the ferocity of nature to cycles of generation and discord resolution. Elementally, Aamon is tied to fire through his manifestation vomiting flames, representing transformative passion and destructive potential within infernal symbolism.^[1] Planetary correspondences vary across interpretations, such as Mars, associated with his fiery and transformative nature.^[10] The sigil of Aamon, a complex seal integral to evocation practices in the Ars Goetia, consists of interlocking wavy lines and cross-like elements that evocatively capture his wolf-serpent duality, serving as a focal point for invoking his harmonious and prophetic influences.^[1]

Depictions in Culture

In Literature and Art

In the 1863 edition of Jacques Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal, illustrated by Louis Le Breton, Aamon is depicted as a grotesque hybrid creature featuring the head of an owl, the body and teeth of a wolf, and a serpent's tail, underscoring the demonic form's menacing and otherworldly nature designed to evoke fear and awe in readers of occult texts.^[11] During the Renaissance, Aamon appears in grimoires such as Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), where he is described as a great marquis who manifests as a wolf with a serpent's tail but can assume human form, notably serving as a figure of reconciliation by resolving controversies between friends and procuring feuds when needed, a role that symbolically echoes themes of harmony in contemporary alchemical writings on uniting opposites. In 19th- and early 20th-century occult literature, Aamon receives further attention in Aleister Crowley's edited edition of The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (1904), which reproduces his traditional attributes from earlier sources, including his ability to reveal past and future events and reconcile enemies, accompanied by his sigil for invocation purposes.

In Modern Media

In the Shin Megami Tensei video game series, Aamon, often spelled as Amon, is portrayed as a summonable demon belonging to the Tyrant race, capable of wielding powerful fire-based attacks such as Trisagion, a severe fire damage spell, alongside skills evoking its traditional foresight abilities like revealing knowledge of past and future events. This depiction integrates Aamon's Goetic origins into the game's fusion and combat mechanics, where players can recruit or fuse the demon to harness its elemental and prophetic strengths for battles against other supernatural entities.^[12]^[13]^[14] Aamon features in contemporary horror literature through novels that reference Goetic demonology, adapting the spirit's wrathful and revelatory traits into narratives of supernatural terror and occult intrigue. For instance, in L.E. Eldridge's Snowed Inn (With a Demon) (2023), Aamon manifests as a malevolent entity that feeds on human fear, tormenting inhabitants of a remote inn during a blizzard, thereby emphasizing themes of isolation and demonic predation in modern supernatural fiction. These portrayals often amplify Aamon's traditional fire associations to symbolize inescapable doom, influencing plot devices involving summoning rituals gone awry.^[15] In cinema, Aamon appears in occult-themed horror films that allude to Goetic spirits, blending historical demonology with psychological thriller elements. The 1999 film The Ninth Gate, directed by Roman Polanski and based on Arturo Pérez-Reverte's novel The Club Dumas, evokes the Ars Goetia through its plot centered on a rare grimoire enabling devilish invocations, indirectly nodding to figures like Aamon amid engravings and rituals inspired by 17th-century occult texts. More directly, the 2018 found-footage horror Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made features Demon Aamon as a pivotal antagonist, depicted as a wrathful entity tied to a cursed ritual that unleashes infernal consequences, heightening the film's exploration of taboo summoning and cinematic curses.^[16]^[17] Aamon's role extends to role-playing games and online occult communities, where adaptations highlight its mediator aspect from Goetic lore—reconciling friends and foes—while incorporating fire and divination powers for gameplay or discussion. In Dungeons & Dragons, first detailed in Dragon magazine #75 (1983), Aamon is a lawful evil duke of Hell with a wolf's head, commanding legions and possessing abilities to sow discord or resolve conflicts, often adapted in campaigns as a summonable patron for warlocks seeking infernal pacts. Online occult forums and communities, such as those on occult-world.com, portray Aamon similarly as a strategic demon for modern practitioners, emphasizing its prophetic insights in rituals while cautioning against its fiery temper, fostering discussions on ethical demon evocation in contemporary esotericism.^[8]