Abrasax was the supreme deity
of the Basilidian sect of Gnostics in the second century, who held that Jesus
Christ was just a phantom brought to Earth by him.
They thought his name held significant secrets since it was
made up of the seven Greek letters that make up the number 365, the number of
days in a year.
They believed Abraxas commanded 365 gods, to whom they
ascribed 365 qualities, one for each day.
Older mythologists see Abraxas as an Egyptian deity, whereas
demonologists depict him as a demon with a king's head and serpents for feet.
Abraxas is shown with a whip in his hand on ancient amulets,
and his name inspired the magical term abracadabra.
Further Reading:
Drury, Nevill, and Stephen Skinner. The Search for Abraxas. London: Spearman, 1972.
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