Article: The 72 Demons of the Ars Goetia – Who Are They and What Are Their Powers?

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Sep 11, 202572 Demons

The 72 Demons of the Ars Goetia – Who Are They and What Are Their Powers?

In the history of Western esotericism, few works have captured the imagination as strongly as the “Lemegeton, or the Lesser Key of Solomon the King.” This 17th-century grimoire compiles fragments of older Jewish, Christian, and Arabic magical traditions, blending ritual magic, angelology, and demonology into one system. Its most famous portion is the Ars Goetia, which catalogs in detail the 72 spirits allegedly conjured, subdued, and bound by King Solomon himself. These spirits are not merely “devils” in the modern sense, but complex entities described with ranks, personalities, powers, and seals.

King Solomon and the Origins of the Goetia

The legend of Solomon as a master magician originates in Jewish midrash, the Talmud, and later Islamic sources. Beyond being a biblical king famed for wisdom, he was also said to command the djinn, angels, and rebellious spirits. This authority was granted by a divine talisman known as the Seal of Solomon — a magical ring inscribed with the name of God (often envisioned as a six- or five-pointed star).

With this ring, Solomon could summon and control entities that no ordinary mortal could withstand. According to tradition, he called forth 72 rebellious spirits who had plagued humankind with chaos, disease, and strife. Under his rule, they were forced into servitude. Some accounts say he compelled them to labor in building the Temple of Jerusalem, carrying great stones, shaping metal, and performing tasks beyond human strength. Others portray them as bound scholars, required to reveal hidden knowledge of nature, medicine, and the heavens.

The Brass Vessel

But Solomon’s mastery did not end with mere domination. Fearing their return to mischief, he devised a way to contain them permanently. The lore tells of a great vessel made of brass, inscribed with sacred symbols and the ineffable names of God. Into this container the 72 spirits were sealed, unable to escape or defy their bonds. The vessel was then cast into a deep body of water — often said to be the sea, or in some versions, the waters near Babylon.

This “brass vessel” became a powerful image in magical tradition: a prison, a tool of command, and a metaphor for the magician’s circle of protection. To open it was to risk unleashing dangerous intelligences, but to keep it sealed was to ensure order and peace.

Legends later claimed that the vessel was discovered by Babylonians or Greeks, who opened it, believing it held treasure. The spirits escaped, scattering into the world — which explained their continued presence in human affairs.

Transmission into Magical Tradition

Centuries after Solomon, these tales traveled through Hebrew mysticism, Arabic occult lore, and medieval European grimoires. By the Renaissance, scholars and magicians believed that if one knew Solomon’s methods — his seals, incantations, and rituals — they too could summon the 72 demons.

The Ars Goetia systematized these ideas: each spirit was given a name, a sigil, a rank, a description of appearance, and a list of powers. To a 17th-century practitioner, these were not abstract myths but practical instructions. With the correct prayers, symbols, and protective circles, one could, in theory, replicate Solomon’s authority and command these forces to reveal knowledge, bring wealth, inspire love, or even wage war.

Thus, the Ars Goetia is not simply a book of demon names — it is a ritual blueprint inspired by the myth of Solomon, his Seal, and the legendary brass vessel that first contained the spirits.

Structure of the 72 Spirits

The Goetia arranges the demons into a kind of infernal hierarchy, mirroring medieval ideas of nobility and order. There are:

9 Kings (the most powerful, commanding many legions),
23 Dukes,
7 Princes,
15 Marquises,
14 Counts (Earls),
3 Presidents,
1 Knight.

Each spirit commands legions of lesser entities, with numbers ranging from 20 to 80 or more.

What Functions Do the 72 Demons Have?

The Ars Goetia doesn’t only list names and seals — it assigns each spirit specific abilities and functions. When grouped together, we see a fascinating map of human desires and fears:

1. Knowledge, Sciences, and Hidden Wisdom

Many spirits are said to teach sciences, reveal secrets, and explain mysteries. They are guardians of forbidden knowledge.

Furcas: philosophy, astrology, logic, palmistry.
Marbas: uncovers hidden truths, heals or causes disease.
Paimon: instructs in all sciences and grants dignities.
Astaroth: explains the fall of angels and teaches liberal sciences.

2. Love, Desire, and Human Bonds

Several spirits manipulate emotions, love, lust, and friendship.

Zepar: makes women fall in love, but also causes infertility.
Sitri: inflames passion and reveals secret desires.
Vual: reconciles lovers and restores friendship.
Dantalion: influences thoughts and emotions, teaches empathy.

3. Wealth, Treasure, and Prosperity

Material power is another recurring theme.

Bune: makes one wealthy, eloquent, and wise.
Andromalius: retrieves stolen goods and exposes thieves.
Zagan: transmutes metals, turns water into wine.
Foras: reveals hidden treasures and teaches virtues of stones.

4. War, Conflict, and Destruction

Spirits tied to battle, violence, and chaos reflect humanity’s fascination with war.

Andras: sows discord and causes bloodshed.
Eligos: predicts wars, secures rulers’ favor.
Leraje: incites battles and causes wounds to rot.
Halphas: builds towers and sends soldiers to battle.

5. Nature, Elements, and Animals

Many govern weather, animals, or natural phenomena.

Bael: controls weather and grants invisibility.
Furfur: raises storms, thunder, and tempests.
Stolas: teaches astronomy and properties of herbs and stones.
Vepar: controls the sea, can sink ships and drown men.

6. Trickery, Illusion, and Transformation

Others embody deception, shapeshifting, and manipulation.

Ose: transforms men into animals, teaches divine secrets.
Glasya-Labolas: causes murder but also reconciliation.
Bifrons: teaches sciences, moves corpses, alters perception.
Shax: steals senses, spreads chaos through confusion.

Modern Interpretations

Today, scholars, occultists, and artists reinterpret the Goetia in different ways:

Historians see it as a cultural artifact blending Jewish legend, medieval demonology, and Renaissance magic.
Occult practitioners treat the demons as archetypes of the psyche, tools for inner work rather than literal beings.
Popular culture reimagines them as villains, monsters, or antiheroes in games, novels, and films.

72 Demons of Goetia in Frater Setnakh's Store

Light and Shadow United: The 72 Demons and 72 Angels Series

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This collection is not only a tribute to an ancient mystical tradition but also a work of art and craftsmanship. With every coin, collectors and enthusiasts are invited to explore the interplay between darkness and light, chaos and order, as well as the deeper spiritual truths they represent. The 72 Demons and 72 Angels united in this series create a one-of-a-kind treasure for anyone drawn to history, symbolism, and the timeless fascination of the unseen.

Written by Frater Nathan Setnakh