Introduction
Among the infernal pantheon of demonology, Mammon stands as the embodiment of greed and material corruption.
Often portrayed as a fallen angel obsessed with gold and excess, Mammon represents humanity’s enslavement to wealth and desire.
Originating as a term for “riches” in ancient Semitic languages, his name evolved into that of a demon ruling the sphere of avarice.
This article explores Mammon’s origins, transformation from metaphor to myth, and enduring influence in theology, literature, and occult practice.
Etymology and Biblical Origins
The word Mammon originates from the Aramaic māmōnā, meaning “wealth,” “profit,” or “possessions.”
It entered Greek as mamōnas and Latin as mammona through the Vulgate Bible, later appearing in post-biblical Hebrew as mamôn.
In all forms, the term denotes not just wealth, but misplaced trust in material gain.
Early Christian writers debated its meaning and morality.
Saint Augustine suggested it stemmed from a Punic root for “profit,” connecting Mammon to the sin of accumulation.
Modern Hebrew still uses mammon to signify money or wealth, showing how deeply embedded the term remains in human language.
Scriptural References
Mammon’s biblical debut occurs in the New Testament, particularly in Matthew 6:19–24 and Luke 16:9–13.
Here, Christ declares:
“No man can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and Mammon.”
These passages present Mammon not as a literal being but as a rival deity of materialism.
Jesus’s warning frames wealth as a seductive force demanding devotion equal to, or greater than, that of God.
This interpretation positioned Mammon as the personification of greed, a spiritual adversary to divine faith.
The Didascalia Apostolorum, a third-century Christian text, further denounces Mammon as the idol of gluttony and injustice.
This marked the transition from abstract metaphor to moral entity, laying the foundation for Mammon’s later demonization.
Personification as a Demon
By the Middle Ages, Mammon had evolved from an allegory into a literal demon of avarice.
Church Fathers and theologians accelerated this transformation.
Gregory of Nyssa equated Mammon with Beelzebub, while Cyprian and Jerome described him as an enslaving spirit ruling over covetous hearts.
John Chrysostom went further, identifying Mammon as greed personified—a rival god ruling human desire.
Peter Lombard, in the Sentences, wrote that “Mammon is the devil of riches in the Syrian tongue.”
Nicholas de Lyra confirmed this view, declaring Mammon est nomen daemonis—“Mammon is the name of a demon.”
In medieval art, Mammon often appears as a grotesque, wolf-borne figure, his body entwined with serpents and gold chains.
Thomas Aquinas described him as a tempter who “inflames the hearts of men with covetousness.”
By the 15th century, manuscripts like the Lanterne of Light had formally linked Mammon to the Deadly Sin of Avarice, securing his place among the Seven Princes of Hell.
Role in Demonology and the Infernal Hierarchy
In classical demonological grimoires, Mammon reigns as both a fallen angel and archdemon of wealth.
He governs the vast treasuries of Hell, rewarding his followers with riches while binding them to eternal servitude.
As one of the Seven Princes of Hell, Mammon presides over the sphere of greed, tempting mortals through gold, luxury, and self-interest.
He appears as a regal, corpulent figure adorned with jewels and coins, his eyes glowing like molten metal.
Texts such as Collin de Plancy’s Dictionnaire Infernal (1863) portray him as grotesque yet commanding.
In John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667), Mammon is the “least erected Spirit that fell from Heaven,” forever gazing downward at the earth’s treasures.
Milton’s Mammon teaches fallen angels to mine and forge metals, introducing greed into the world of men.
This literary depiction immortalized him as the architect of material corruption.
Symbolism and Theology
Theologically, Mammon symbolizes wealth as idolatry—the worship of possessions over divine truth.
His name became synonymous with both economic exploitation and spiritual decay.
In Christian demonology, Mammon’s influence manifests wherever profit eclipses compassion.
He is not merely a hoarder of gold but a corrupter of priorities, whispering that value lies only in acquisition.
Kabbalistic interpretations position Mammon as a Qliphothic force, the shadow of divine prosperity turned to decay.
Here, he governs the shell of Thagirion, associated with solar vanity and false illumination.
This ties Mammon’s greed to the illusion of abundance—light without warmth, wealth without virtue.
Mammon in the Occult and Ritual Magic
In occult practice, Mammon occupies a dual role: both tempter and teacher.
In Left-Hand Path traditions, he is invoked as a spirit of material mastery, aiding ambition and enterprise without moral restraint.
Offerings of coins, gold, or rare incense—especially frankincense and myrrh—are said to attract his favor.
Practitioners align his rituals with astrological correspondences of Jupiter and the element of Earth, invoking abundance and dominance.
Altars dedicated to Mammon often feature gold candles, citrine, or pyrite, representing prosperity and crystallized greed.
His sigil, drawn in green or gold ink, channels his influence over material success and control.
In ceremonial evocation, Mammon is sometimes paired with Bune, the demon of hierarchy, or Clauneck, the spirit of profit.
These alliances amplify results but risk moral degradation, as unchecked wealth often invites spiritual decay.
Right-Hand Path traditions, by contrast, treat Mammon as a warning figure—a barrier between enlightenment and corruption.
His power reminds seekers that wealth without virtue leads only to spiritual emptiness.
Cultural Depictions and Literary Legacy
Mammon’s image has endured for centuries, appearing across literature, art, and philosophy.
In Paradise Lost, he is both engineer and idolater, guiding demons to build Hell’s golden palaces.
His followers “admire the riches of their own creation,” echoing Milton’s critique of vanity and greed.
During the Reformation, Protestant reformers invoked Mammon as a metaphor for ecclesiastical corruption.
Martin Luther condemned indulgences as “serving Mammon rather than God,” reinforcing the term’s moral potency.
In art, Mammon appears as a corpulent tyrant weighed down by coins, suffocating under the weight of his own treasure.
Later Romantic artists, such as George Frederic Watts in Mammon (1885), depicted him crushing the poor beneath his feet—a vision of greed devouring the innocent.
Modern reinterpretations persist in fiction, gaming, and philosophy.
Mammon symbolizes capitalism’s excess, the idol of unchecked consumption and corporate power.
In contemporary occultism, he has been reimagined as a spirit of financial intelligence, urging balance between ambition and restraint.
The Moral of Mammon
Mammon’s enduring presence reveals an uncomfortable truth: greed is not merely economic but existential.
He personifies humanity’s tendency to worship the tangible, to trade eternity for the illusion of control.
As the demon of greed, Mammon remains both caution and mirror—showing that wealth, when deified, consumes the soul that seeks it.
From biblical parable to infernal throne, his name endures as the eternal whisper of temptation:
“Serve me, and you shall want for nothing—except peace.”