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Glycon

Glycon, also spelled Glykon, was an ancient Greco-Roman snake deity introduced in the mid-2nd century CE by the prophet Alexander of Abonoteichos in Paphlagonia (modern-day northern Turkey), venerated primarily as the "New Asclepius" and associated with healing, prophecy, and protection against plagues.^[1] Depicted as a large serpent with a human-like head, often adorned with hair and sometimes a lion's tail, Glycon emerged during a period of social and epidemiological instability in the Roman Empire, quickly gaining a devoted following through oracular pronouncements and ritual performances.^[2] The cult of Glycon originated around 150–160 CE when Alexander, a charismatic figure influenced by existing snake worship traditions linked to Asclepius and possibly Sarapis, staged the god's "birth" from an egg in Abonoteichos, transforming the town into a religious center renamed Ionopolis in honor of the deity.^[1] A grand temple housed the living snake idol, which Alexander manipulated to "speak" prophecies via hidden tubes, attracting pilgrims from across the empire, including high-ranking officials like the consul Publius Mummius Sisenna Rutilianus, who married Alexander's daughter and promoted the cult.^[2] The god's prophylactic powers were invoked during the Antonine Plague of the late 160s CE, with spells attributed to Glycon claiming to dispel disease, contributing to the cult's rapid expansion from the Danube region to the Euphrates.^[1] Archaeological evidence, including marble statues, bronze figurines, inscribed dedications, and coins minted in Ionopolis depicting Glycon coiled around an egg or staff, attests to the cult's prominence from the reign of Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE) through the 3rd century, with worship persisting until at least 270 CE in areas like Dacia, Moesia, and Anatolia.^[2] The primary literary source is Lucian of Samosata's satirical work Alexander, or the False Prophet (c. 180 CE), which exposes Alexander's deceptions while documenting the cult's elaborate rituals, such as processions and initiations, and its blend of mysticism and charlatanism that captivated Roman society.^[1] Despite its fraudulent origins, Glycon's enduring iconography influenced later representations of serpentine deities, highlighting the appeal of accessible, miracle-working cults in the diverse religious landscape of the Roman Empire.^[2]

Historical Origins

Macedonian Cultural Roots

In ancient Macedonia, snake worship formed a significant aspect of religious practices, deeply intertwined with beliefs in fertility, healing, and divine intervention. Snakes were revered as chthonic symbols embodying renewal and the life force, often associated with agricultural abundance and the protection of crops and livestock. Archaeological evidence includes terracotta figurines of snakes from sites like Pella, underscoring this veneration, where serpents represented the earth's generative powers and were invoked in rituals to ensure bountiful harvests.^[3] These cults drew from animistic traditions prevalent among early Macedonian tribes, where snakes were seen as intermediaries between the human and underworld realms, capable of bestowing health and progeny upon devotees. A prominent example of snakes' role in divine incarnation myths is the legend surrounding Olympias, mother of Alexander the Great. According to Plutarch, a serpent was observed coiled beside Olympias during her sleep, an event interpreted as a sign of her union with a divine entity, possibly Zeus in serpentine form, thereby marking Alexander's conception as semidivine. This narrative, rooted in Macedonian royal lore from the late 4th century BCE, reflects broader cultural perceptions of serpents as embodiments of gods who could impregnate mortals, enhancing the legitimacy and heroic status of rulers. Olympias' affiliation with Dionysian rites, which incorporated live snakes in ecstatic ceremonies, further linked these symbols to themes of regeneration and sacred kingship.^[4] Macedonian snake traditions also connected to wider Indo-European and Thracian influences, particularly through deities like Sabazios, a Thracian sky and underworld god whose cult emphasized prophetic and chthonic elements. Syncretized with Dionysus in Macedonian contexts by the 5th century BCE, Sabazios was depicted in reliefs and inscriptions from border regions like Amphipolis, where he appeared as a mounted figure subduing or entwining with serpents, symbolizing victory over chaos and access to hidden knowledge. Initiation into Sabazios' mysteries involved ritual contact with snakes, passed over the initiate's body to invoke visions and oracular insights, a practice documented in Thracian-Macedonian sanctuaries. These elements paralleled Indo-European motifs of serpents as guardians of wisdom and fertility, adapted in Macedonia to underscore magical protections against illness and misfortune. These Macedonian traditions contributed to the broader Greco-Roman veneration of snakes in healing cults, particularly those of Asclepius, which directly influenced the Glycon cult.^[5] Within Macedonian mystery religions prior to the 2nd century AD, snakes symbolized oracular authority and thaumaturgy, serving as conduits for divine communication in healing and prophetic cults. Nocturnal rites in Macedonian serpent cults echoed Thracian practices that influenced Macedonian shamanistic traditions. This prophetic role extended to magical applications, where snake venom and skins were used in amulets for warding off evil and curing ailments, reinforcing snakes' status as sacred agents of the gods in everyday and elite religious life.

Founding by Alexander of Abonoteichus

Alexander of Abonoteichus, born around 105 CE in the Paphlagonian town of Abonoteichus (modern-day İnebolu, Turkey), emerged as a charismatic prophet and religious entrepreneur in the Roman Empire during the 2nd century AD.^[6] Influenced by the teachings and legendary exploits of Apollonius of Tyana, a 1st-century sage revered for his miraculous powers, Alexander apprenticed under a Tyanean magician who instructed him in enchantments, oracular tricks, and performances of divine manifestations.^[7] After his mentor's death, Alexander traveled through the empire honing these skills, partnering briefly with a Byzantine sorcerer named Cocconas before returning to his hometown around 150 AD, drawn by its superstitious inhabitants and potential for exploitation.^[7] This move capitalized on local traditions of snake worship, echoing Macedonian cultural practices that venerated serpents as symbols of healing and prophecy.^[8] The founding of the Glycon cult hinged on a dramatic prophetic event orchestrated by Alexander in Abonoteichus. To establish his authority, he buried bronze tablets near Chalcedon prophesying the arrival of a new incarnation of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing, which were "discovered" and announced publicly.^[7] Returning to Abonoteichus in a procession mimicking divine advent, Alexander prepared a goose egg containing a small, tame snake from Pella, Macedonia; during a temple foundation ceremony, he "hatched" it in a pool, proclaiming, "Taking it in his hands, he asserted that at that moment he held Asclepius!"^[7] The snake, soon named Glycon and fitted with a lifelike human-like head made of linen and glue, was presented as the god's new form, the son of Asclepius, embodying themes of healing and fertility to appeal to the populace amid the Antonine Plague and social uncertainties.^[7]^[2] Local enthusiasm led to immediate construction of a temple in Abonoteichus, funded by contributions from residents and visiting pilgrims who viewed the event as a miraculous sign.^[7] Alexander positioned himself as the god's chief interpreter, charging fees for access and using the structure as a base for oracular consultations.^[7] Early promotion involved scripted oracles delivered through hidden mechanisms, such as using heated needles to unseal scrolls without breaking the seals, to simulate divine responses, often addressing personal health and fertility concerns for a fee of one drachma and two obols per query.^[7] He also instituted initiation rites, including torchlit mysteries that excluded skeptics like Epicureans and Christians, fostering a sense of exclusivity and loyalty among adherents who sought Glycon's purported curative powers.^[7] These tactics rapidly established the cult as a localized healing and prophetic movement by the mid-2nd century AD.^[2]

Description and Worship

Iconography and Attributes

Glycon is typically depicted as a large serpent with a human-like head, often portrayed as bearded and adorned with a nimbus or laurel wreath to signify its divine status and prophetic nature.^[7]^[9] This hybrid form draws from Greco-Roman iconographic traditions associating serpents with renewal and wisdom, but Glycon's anthropomorphic features distinguish it as an oracular incarnation of the healing god Asclepius.^[2] In the primary account by Lucian of Samosata, the deity's presentation involved a lifelike puppet with a painted linen head featuring a movable mouth and darting tongue, enabling hissing sounds that conveyed prophecies, while the body was that of a real, coiled serpent draped around the prophet Alexander.^[7] Archaeological evidence reinforces this iconography, as seen in a second-century AD marble statue discovered in ancient Tomis (modern Constanța, Romania), where Glycon appears as a coiled serpent with a human head.^[10] The coiled posture in such depictions emphasizes themes of guardianship and cyclical renewal, contrasting with chthonic serpents associated solely with the underworld by evoking vitality and healing.^[2] Coinage from cities like Ionopolis further illustrates variations, showing a coiled serpent with an erect human-like head, underscoring Glycon's attributes of prophecy and prophylactic power linked to Asclepius.^[9] Additional artifacts, such as a late second- to early third-century gold medallion from Chersonesus, portray Glycon as a human-headed serpent alongside Fortuna, highlighting its fertility associations through symbolic integration with abundance motifs like the cornucopia.^[11] Gems from sites like Egypt and Antiochia depict similar hybrid forms, sometimes as amulets invoking healing, with the serpent's body emphasizing encircling protection.^[2] These representations collectively symbolize Glycon's dual role in divination—via oracular hissing or mechanical utterances—and therapeutic intervention, as satirized yet detailed in Lucian's critique of the cult's mechanisms.^[7]

Rituals and Beliefs

The rituals of the Glycon cult revolved around structured initiation ceremonies and ongoing devotional practices that emphasized the god's divine authority and benevolence. Central to the cult were the annual Glyconian mysteries, celebrated over three consecutive days in a theatrical and immersive format. These rites began with torchlit processions and solemn proclamations that ritually expelled atheists, Christians, and Epicureans, reinforcing the cult's alignment with established Greco-Roman religious norms and excluding perceived threats to its sanctity. Participants engaged in dramatic reenactments depicting the miraculous births of Apollo, his son Asclepius, and ultimately Glycon, symbolizing the serpent-god's emergence as a new divine manifestation. Fees were required for entry into these mysteries, with basic participation accessible to ordinary devotees while higher tiers demanded greater contributions, fostering a tiered system of devotion that generated substantial revenue for the temple.^[7] Daily temple activities formed the rhythm of communal worship, focusing on offerings, processions, and oracle consultations to invoke Glycon's favor for personal and collective well-being. Devotees regularly presented sacrifices, including animals and votive gifts such as incense or figurines, at the sanctuary in Abonoteichus, believing these acts appeased the god and ensured protection from misfortune. Processions featured the idol of Glycon—a large serpent with a human-like head—carried through the streets by attendants, allowing the deity to "bless" the populace and affirm his presence among them. Oracle consultations were a cornerstone practice, where individuals submitted sealed questions on wax tablets for Glycon to answer through his prophet Alexander; each query incurred a fee of one drachma and two obols, making prophecy accessible yet profitable, with annual earnings estimated at 70,000 to 80,000 drachmas from this alone. These consultations addressed everyday concerns, from locating lost property to advising on marriages, underscoring Glycon's role in guiding ethical and practical life decisions.^[7]^[12] Theological beliefs positioned Glycon as a syncretic deity, inheriting the healing prowess of Asclepius while claiming direct descent from Zeus, thus blending venerable Greek medical traditions with indigenous Paphlagonian serpent worship. Positioned as a manifestation of Asclepius and grandson of Zeus, Glycon was revered as a "latter-day Asclepius," capable of miraculous interventions in human affairs. Devotees held firm convictions in his powers to heal illnesses through incubation rites and amulets, promote fertility and successful unions (as seen in oracular endorsements of marriages), and deliver prophecies revealing future events or hidden truths. This doctrine portrayed the cult as a harmonious fusion of classical mythology and local mysticism, where Glycon's oracles not only foretold outcomes but also reinforced moral order and communal harmony.^[7]^[2]

Spread and Influence

Geographical Expansion

The cult of Glycon emerged in Abonoteichos (modern İnebolu, Turkey) in Paphlagonia around 150 CE, established by Alexander as a manifestation of the healing god Asclepius in serpentine form. From this coastal hub along the Black Sea, the cult rapidly expanded within Asia Minor, with numismatic evidence indicating its presence in nearby cities such as Nicomedia and Tium in Bithynia by the 160s CE, where coins depict Glycon alongside imperial figures like Antoninus Pius. Inscriptions and dedications further attest to early establishment in Pontus, Galatia, Lydia (e.g., Thyatira and Caesarea Troketta), and Ionia (e.g., Smyrna and Clazomenae), reflecting a timeline of growth tied to the oracle's rising fame during the reigns of Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE) and Marcus Aurelius (161–180 CE).^[7]^[13]^[14]^[2] By the late 150s to early 160s CE, the cult had reached major urban centers beyond Asia Minor, including Athens in Greece, where a bronze statuette of Glycon was discovered in the Agora, suggesting local veneration and temple activity. In the eastern provinces, evidence appears in Moesia at Tomis (modern Constanța, Romania), marked by another well-preserved Glycon statue implying a public cult site, and in Dacia at Apulum (modern Alba Iulia), supported by two Latin inscriptions dedicating to Glycon Neos Asclepius dated to the 2nd century CE. Traveler accounts, particularly Lucian's Alexander or the False Prophet (c. 180 CE), describe the oracle's renown extending to Italy and invading Rome itself, with crowds from the capital flocking to Abonoteichos for consultations, indicative of widespread adoption by the 160s CE. Additional traces appear in Syria (e.g., Antioch) via inscriptions and in Thrace and inner Anatolia through scattered dedications.^[2]^[7] This geographical proliferation was facilitated by itinerant priests and emissaries dispatched from Abonoteichos, who promoted the portable oracle through multilingual consultations and dramatic revelations, drawing pilgrims from diverse social strata across the empire. The cult's appeal as a healing deity, amplified by Alexander's early promotional tactics such as public prophecies, enabled its diffusion along trade routes and provincial networks, achieving peak popularity among urban elites, merchants, and soldiers by the late 2nd century CE. Archaeological finds, including coins circulating up to the early 3rd century under Caracalla (e.g., from Pergamon and Callatis), underscore the sustained yet localized expansion without centralized temples beyond the origin site.^[7]^[15]^[2]

Sociopolitical Interactions

The cult of Glycon engaged with Roman imperial authorities through prophetic consultations and official recognitions that elevated its status during the 2nd century AD. Emperor Marcus Aurelius reportedly sought oracles from Alexander of Abonoteichus, the cult's founder, at the outset of the Marcomannic Wars around 168 AD, and later during the conflict in 174 AD, when Alexander provided advice on sacrifices involving lions flung into the Danube to secure victory against the Quadi and Marcomanni.^[16] Although the prophecy failed disastrously, leading to Roman losses, the cult later attributed imperial successes to Glycon's favor, fostering perceptions of divine endorsement amid the Antonine Plague and ongoing wars.^[2] This interaction highlighted the cult's integration into elite Roman circles, as evidenced by the emperor's reported consultation despite the oracle's inaccuracies.^[7] Further sociopolitical legitimacy came through civic coinage and imperial privileges. Under Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161 AD), coins minted in Abonoteichos depicted Glycon as a crested serpent with a human face, inscribed with "ΓΛVΚΩΝ ΑΒΩΝΟΤΕΙΧΕΙΤΩΝ" (Glycon of the Abonoteichites), symbolizing local adoption and imperial tolerance of the deity as a healing figure. Similarly, during the reign of Philip I (r. 244–249 AD), with his son Philip II as Caesar, provincial issues from Ionopolis (the renamed Abonoteichos) continued to feature Glycon, often coiled and radiate-headed, reflecting the cult's enduring civic prestige and possible indirect imperial patronage through allowed minting.^[17] These numismatic representations underscored Glycon's role in bolstering community identity and loyalty to Rome.^[2] Intellectual critiques posed significant challenges to the cult's reputation, most notably from Lucian of Samosata in his satirical treatise Alexander the False Prophet (c. 180 CE), which portrayed Alexander as a charlatan using a hand puppet—a large snake with an artificial human head—to simulate Glycon's oracular speech.^[18] Lucian detailed the mechanical deceptions, including hidden tubes for the "voice" and staged miracles, framing the cult as a hoax exploiting superstition for profit and sexual favors among followers.^[19] Despite this exposure, cult supporters mounted defenses; for instance, Publius Mummius Sisenna Rutilianus, a Roman consul and devotee, credited Alexander's oracle with profound personal revelations about his deceased son's soul, dismissing skeptics and affirming the god's authenticity through lived experience.^[2] The cult's persistence for over a century post-Lucian indicates that such responses, combined with oracular utility during crises, mitigated the criticisms' impact.^[7] In the competitive religious landscape of the 2nd–3rd centuries AD, Glycon's cult exhibited syncretism with established healing deities like Asclepius, positioning itself as a "new Asclepius" manifested through Alexander's prophecy, which drew on serpentine iconography common to both.^[20] This overlap facilitated adoption in regions with strong Asclepius worship, such as Pergamon and Athens, where 3rd-century AD artifacts linked Glycon directly to the god, blending local Paphlagonian traditions with Greco-Roman healing cults.^[2] Parallels extended to the cult of Isis, whose snake-associated rituals and mystery initiations competed in the same "religious marketplace" of the Roman East, offering salvation and protection amid plagues and invasions; Glycon's oracles, like those of Isis, promised prophylactic aid, fostering rivalry yet also hybrid practices in urban centers like Nicomedia.^[21] Such engagements reflected the era's fluid devotional economy, where new cults like Glycon vied for patronage by adapting familiar motifs of divine intervention and personal piety.^[2]

Decline and Legacy

Historical Decline

Following the death of its founder, Alexander of Abonoteichus, around 170 AD, the cult of Glycon experienced a gradual decline, largely due to its heavy dependence on Alexander's personal charisma and the prophetic authority he embodied.^[8] Without his leadership, the movement struggled to maintain momentum, as the oracular practices and rituals were intrinsically tied to his performances and reputation.^[2] This internal vulnerability was compounded by the exposure of fraudulent elements within the cult, including the manipulation of the snake deity through puppetry and fabricated prophecies, which undermined its credibility among educated elites and skeptics.^[7] Lucian of Samosata's satirical work Alexander or the False Prophet, composed during the reign of Commodus (c. 180–192 AD), played a significant role in accelerating this erosion by publicly ridiculing Alexander as a charlatan and detailing the cult's deceptive mechanisms, such as staged miracles and exploitative fees for oracles.^[8]^[7] At its peak, the cult had benefited from endorsements by Roman emperors, including Marcus Aurelius, who reportedly consulted Glycon's oracle during the Marcomannic Wars in 168 AD.^[8] However, Lucian's critique, circulated among intellectual circles, contributed to a loss of prestige that the cult could not fully recover. The latest numismatic evidence includes coins from Ionopolis up to the reign of Trebonianus Gallus (251–253 AD) and from Tomis under Philip II (247–249 AD), indicating continued local veneration into the mid-3rd century.^[2] Despite these challenges, evidence from inscriptions indicates the cult's persistence into the late 3rd century AD (ca. 150–300 AD), with dedications recorded in provinces such as Dacia and Moesia Inferior, including examples like CIL III 1021 from Apulum (ca. 2nd–3rd centuries AD).^[8]^[2] Some archaeological context, such as the burial of cult statues, suggests possible survival into the 4th century amid broader pagan traditions, though the movement's influence waned progressively in the 3rd century as Christianity gained ground across the Roman Empire.^[8]^[2] Like other pagan cults, any lingering traces of the Glycon cult were ultimately suppressed in the late 4th century under Emperor Theodosius I, whose edicts in 391 AD prohibited blood sacrifices, temple visits, and other pagan rituals empire-wide. However, the cult had already declined significantly by the late 3rd century. These measures, part of Theodosius's broader policy to enforce Christian orthodoxy, marked the end of organized worship for remaining non-Christian cults.^[22]

Archaeological Evidence

The most significant archaeological artifact associated with the Glycon cult is a marble statue discovered in 1962 during excavations in Tomis (modern Constanța, Romania), part of the so-called Tomis Sculpture Treasure buried likely in the 4th century to protect pagan items from Christian iconoclasm. This 2nd-century AD sculpture depicts Glycon as a coiled serpent with a human head, crowned with a nimbus of fruit and ears of corn, measuring 66 cm in height and 4.76 meters in length when unfolded; it is housed in the Constanța History and Archaeology Museum and represents the only known cult statue of the deity from the Roman Empire.^[2]^[10] The statue was found within a large columned structure featuring Corinthian capitals, interpreted as a temple or sanctuary dedicated to Glycon, providing direct evidence of organized worship in the Moesian province and highlighting the cult's integration into civic religious life.^[2] Additional material evidence includes bronze coins minted in various cities, such as Ionopolis (ancient Abonoteichos) from the reigns of Antoninus Pius to Trebonianus Gallus (ca. 150–253 AD), depicting Glycon coiled with a human head and legends like ΓΛVΚΩΝ ΙΩΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, and a pentassarion from Tomis under Philip II (247–249 AD) showing the god alongside imperial figures.^[2]^[23] Inscriptions further attest to the cult's presence, including epigraphic dedications from Asia Minor temples, such as a 2nd-century oracle text from Caesarea Troketta in Lydia invoking Glycon alongside Apollo Klarios, and mutilated dedications from sites like Apulum in Dacia (ca. 150–300 AD) recording vows to the god for protection during the Antonine Plague.^[2] These finds, spanning from Paphlagonia to the Danube provinces, confirm the cult's geographical extent and popularity as a prophetic and healing deity, filling previous scholarly gaps in material culture that relied heavily on literary sources like Lucian of Samosata, and underscoring its scale through widespread civic adoption evidenced by numismatic and epigraphic proliferation.^[2]

Modern Interpretations

The cult of Glycon experienced a modern revival through scholarly analysis of Lucian's second-century text Alexander the False Prophet, which portrays the deity as a fabricated oracle emblematic of religious deception in antiquity. This narrative influenced 20th-century studies on ancient fraud and charismatic cults, with scholars examining Glycon as a case study in how pseudoreligious movements exploited societal vulnerabilities for gain. For instance, Stephen A. Kent's 2007 analysis frames Alexander of Abonoteichus's creation of Glycon as an example of narcissistic fraud, drawing parallels to manipulative leadership in new religious movements while emphasizing the cult's integration into Roman society despite its illusory foundations.^[24] In Romania, archaeological evidence such as the marble statue of Glycon unearthed in Constanța in 1962 has contributed to cultural recognition, appearing on a 1974 postage stamp depicting Roman-era serpent deities and sculptures as part of a series on ancient archaeology.^[25] The same statue influenced the design of the 1994 10,000 lei banknote, where an image of the snake god occupies the central position, underscoring Glycon's role in national heritage narratives tied to Roman provincial history.^[26] Contemporary interpretations often highlight Glycon's appeal in postmodern contexts as a deliberately artificial deity challenging traditional faith structures. British comic writer Alan Moore has publicly embraced devotion to Glycon since the early 2000s, describing the snake god as a "ventriloquist's dummy" exposed by Lucian nearly two millennia ago, yet worthy of worship for embodying honest fiction over dogmatic certainty. In interviews, Moore positions this allegiance as a satirical critique of religion, integrating Glycon into works like Promethea to explore themes of myth-making and skepticism, thereby reviving the cult as a symbol of intellectual irreverence in popular culture.^[27]^[28]

References

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Feb 12, 2025 · Alexander of Abonoteichus, also known as Alexander the Paphlagonian was a Greek mystic and oracle who lived approximately between 105 and 170 CE.
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coin | British Museum
Description: Alloy coin. (whole): Head of Antoninus Pius r; bare. (obverse): The serpent Glycon coiled with (human?) head erect r. (reverse).Missing: iconography bearded nimbus laurel
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Translation, Emperor Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus. Obverse design, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip II, right, seen from rear.
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There was no official proscription of paganism, however, until AD 392, when, in a long decree, Theodosius forbade, not only the offering of blood sacrifice, but ...
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May 6, 2022 · The story of Glycon, the sock puppet snake god with a bearded humanoid head, snake body, and fish tail, is so outlandish and interesting ...
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4.6 3K · Free deliveryRomania 1974 ISIS, GODDES, SERPENT, GLYCON, ROMAN STATUES, ARCHAEOLOGY 2 cover. New ListingRomania 1974 ISIS, GODDES, SERPENT, GLYCON, ROMAN STATUES ...
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Aug 21, 2014 · There is late Roman snake god, called Glycon, he was an invention of the False Prophet Alexander. Which is a lousy name to go into business ...