Abraxas information

Abraxas from *Infernal Dictionary*, 6th Edition, 1863, with descriptions of Abraxas as having a "rooster's head, dragon's feet and a whip in his hand", and a "king's head and snakes in lieu of feet"

Abraxas (Biblical Greek: ἀβραξάς, romanized: abraxas, variant form ἀβράναξ romanized: abranax) is a word of mystic meaning in the system of the Gnostic Basilides, being there applied to the "Great Archon" (megas archōn), the princeps of the 365 spheres (ouranoi).^[1]^[2]^[3] The word is found in Gnostic texts such as the Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit, and also appears in the Greek Magical Papyri. It was engraved on certain antique gemstones, called on that account Abraxas stones, which were used as amulets or charms.^[4] As the initial spelling on stones was Abrasax (Αβρασαξ), the spelling of Abraxas seen today probably originates in the confusion made between the Greek letters sigma (Σ) and xi (Ξ) in the Latin transliteration.

The seven letters spelling its name may represent each of the seven classic planets.^[5] The word may be related to Abracadabra, although other explanations exist.

There are similarities and differences between such figures in reports about Basilides's teaching, ancient Gnostic texts, the larger Greco-Roman magical traditions, and modern magical and esoteric writings. Speculations have proliferated on Abraxas in recent centuries, which has been claimed to be both an Egyptian god and a demon.^[6]

^ "ABRASAX, ab´rɑ-sax (ABRAXAS, ab-rax´as)". www.ccel.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
^ Bagnall, Roger S; Brodersen, Kai; Champion, Craige B; Erskine, Andrew; Huebner, Sabine R, eds. (2013-01-21). The Encyclopedia of Ancient History (1 ed.). Wiley. doi:10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah17001. ISBN 978-1-4051-7935-5.
^ Smith, Andrew Phillip (2014-03-17). A Dictionary of Gnosticism. Quest Books. ISBN 978-0-8356-3097-9.
^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Abraxas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 72.
^ Mead 1906, p. 402.
^ "Demonographers have made him a demon, who has the head of a king and serpents for feet." Collin de Plancy, Jacques Auguste Simon (1818). "Abracax or Abraxas" (PDF). Dictionnaire Infernal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 Jan 2013.

[1] "ABRASAX, ab´rɑ-sax (ABRAXAS, ab-rax´as)". www.ccel.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.

[2] Bagnall, Roger S; Brodersen, Kai; Champion, Craige B; Erskine, Andrew; Huebner, Sabine R, eds. (2013-01-21). The Encyclopedia of Ancient History (1 ed.). Wiley. doi:10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah17001. ISBN 978-1-4051-7935-5.

[3] Smith, Andrew Phillip (2014-03-17). A Dictionary of Gnosticism. Quest Books. ISBN 978-0-8356-3097-9.

[EB1911-4] One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Abraxas". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 72.

[FOOTNOTEMead1906402-5] Mead 1906, p. 402.

[6] "Demonographers have made him a demon, who has the head of a king and serpents for feet." Collin de Plancy, Jacques Auguste Simon (1818). "Abracax or Abraxas" (PDF). Dictionnaire Infernal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 Jan 2013.

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