Archons

deity sky single tradition · 4

The Archons are formed by Sophia. They are in conflict with Sophia, who tries to deprive them of their share of light. They are self-exalting.

↻ synthesized from 4 sources

When

First attested
100 CE
Attested period
100 – 400
Historical notes
Documented by Irenaeus, Epiphanius, and Theodoret.

Relationships

serves
Demiurge
enemy of
Sophia
child of
Sophia

Expand to full subgraph →

Sources

Source passages

“the formation of the seven Archons by Sophia herself, of the creation of man, which "the mother" (i.e. not the first woman, but the Sophia) uses as a means to deprive the Archons of their share of light”

#25302 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001

“Probably originally referring to the Greek daimons of the planets, in Gnosticism they became the demonic rulers of the material world, each associated with a different celestial sphere. As rulers over the material world, they are called ἄρχοντες (archontes, "principalities", or "rulers"”

#25387 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001

“The narrative proceeds to tell of the formation of the seven Archons by Sophia herself, of the creation of man, which "the mother" (i.e. not the first woman, but the Sophia) uses as a means to deprive the Archons of their share of light”

#25640 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001