Clearly, the word has always meant “wealth,” but the dark connotation-and even personification-of the word seems to be a purely Christian invention. Cultural Representation OriginĪlthough the etymology of the world “mammon” can be traced back to the Aramaic dialect, it had little historical significance until it was taken up by early Christians. Since Beezlebub was one of the most dreaded demons of the time, this connection reinforced the people’s terror of Mammon (wealth). Gregory of Nyssa, a bishop of the Roman Catholic church, claimed that Beezlebub and Mammon were one and the same. Others associated Mammon with Julius Caesar himself because the mighty emperor controlled Rome’s wealth and claimed to be a god.Īpproximately three hundred years later, as Christian ideology became more complex and the Roman gods of old were left behind, a new alter-ego appeared. Thus, ancient Plutus made a reasonable match for the new Christian demon, Mammon. Not only was Plutus lord of a magnificent fortune, which could easily turn a man’s hurt sour from envy, he was also associated with the underworld because mineral wealth and bountiful crops came from the depths of the earth. Some people associated Mammon with Plutus, the Greco-Roman god of wealth. Over the years, several alternate identities have been proposed for the “Prince of Greed.”īeginning with the emergence of Christianity under Roman rule, many early Christians tried to find a way to fit the villainous Mammon, against whom Jesus and his disciples preached, in with their Roman heritage. Even church leaders distinguished him as a powerful lord over the demon hordes of hell, naming his as one of the “Seven Princes of Hell.” In this position of power, some theologians estimated that Mammon would have as many as 6,660,000 demons under his control, waiting to spring into action when he decided to execute one of his dark plans. Because of this ability to monopolize a person’s energy, many theologians described Mammon as “enslaving” men.ĭuring the Middle Ages, many common people considered Mammon to be a deity, albeit, a black-hearted deity. Usually, Mammon’s evil grip leads to obsession once you fall under his spell, you will struggle to focus on anything other than the treasure he has used to tempt you, and you will do almost anything to get your hands on it. He inspires envy, greed, and lust so potent that even good men can be driven to corruption. Mammon’s greatest power is the influence he can exert over the human mind and heart. He will always find a way to flaunt his wealth, whether it is encrusting himself in precious jewelry, wagging bags of money under your nose, or inviting you to visit him in his treasure-filled lair. The most surefire way of recognizing Mammon is by watching out for ostentatious displays of wealth. He has been shown as everything from a lumbering red-skinned demon of colossal size to a glorious emperor, modeled after Julius Caesar to a crooked, bony old man who could easily blend in with ordinary people. Characteristics Physical DescriptionĪlthough Christians during the Middle Ages often personified Mammon, there is no consistent image of the greedy demon. In fact this demon’s monstrous greed is so powerful that innocent men can be sucked into it and corrupted, so that they too focus their attention on building up worldly treasure instead of virtues that they can carry with them into the kingdom of heaven. Mammon is a demon who, according to Christian theology, embodies one of the cardinal sins: greed.
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