The Snake Cult of False Prophet Alexander of Abonoteichus

It turns out that modern America isnt the only place suffering from scary and bizarre cults. Meet Alexander of Abonoteichus, who used a hand puppet to create his own cult centered on a snake. Alexanders story comes to us from the Greek satirist Lucian, who weaves a fascinating tale of faith and scams. External sources corroborated the existence of a Glycon cult, and even one of Lucians more spurious claims - that Alexander slept with married ladies - seems to have been possible, if not terribly likely. Early Life Alexander hailed from Abonoteichus, a hot-spot in Paphlagonia on the Black Sea. But  the story of this  Alexander,  Lucian says, is no mean feat to tell; Lucian might as well be speaking of Alexander the Great! As Lucian quips, The one was as great in villainy as the other in heroism. As a youth, Alexander was a prostitute. One of his  clients was a snake oil salesman/doctor, a quack, one of those who advertise enchantments, miraculous incantations, charms for your love-affair. This guy recognized trained him in the ways of trickery and selling scams. There was a long tradition of wandering scholars/magicians in this part of the world at the time, as Lucian attests: Alexanders master once followed the famed mystic Apollonius of Tyana. Sadly for Alexander, his master died when he hit his teens, so he formed a partnership with a Byzantine writer of choral songs to go around the countryside practicing quackery and sorcery. Alexander and his partner Cocconas followed one of their best clients home to Pella in Macedon.   At Pella, Alexander got the idea for his greatest  scheme yet, one that allowed him to  become the Professor Marvel of the ancient Mediterranean.  He bought one of those pet snakes and, having realized that people who provided hope to their worshippers earned a  lot of money in tribute and offerings, decided to  found his own snake cult based around prophecy. Serpents had  long been associated with foreknowledge in ancient Greece, so that was a no-brainer. A False Prophet Is Born Alexander and Cocconas started in Chalcedon, where they went to the temple of Asclepius, a healing deity and son of prophecy god Apollo. In that sanctuary, they buried tablets that foretold the coming of Asclepius to Alexander’s hometown of Abonoteichus. Once people â€Å"discovered† these texts, every mystic headed straight there to build a temple to Asclepius.   Alexander went home dressed as a prophet descended from Perseus (even though everyone who knew him from home was aware his parents were Average Joes). In order to keep up the pretense of prophecy, Alexander chewed soapwort root to fake fits of madness. He also created a snake hand puppet made from linen that â€Å"would open and close its mouth by means of horsehairs, and a forked black tongue ... also controlled by horsehairs, would dart out.† Alexander even stashed an extra snake egg near the temple in Abonoteichus; muttering words in Hebrew and Phoenician – which seemed like magical gibberish to his listeners – he scooped up the snake and said Asclepius had arrived! Alexander then snuck in a tame snake he bought from Pella and swapped it out for the baby serpent, telling everyone it grew up super-fast, thanks to magic. He also put tubes into his snake puppet and had a friend speak through them to allow Asclepius to prophesize. As a result, his snake, Glycon, was turned into a god. To interpret prophecies, Alex told supplicants to write down their questions on scrolls and drop them off with him; he secretly read them after removing their wax seals with a hot needle, then prepped his answers before they returned. He banned others from sex with young boys, but allowed himself to molest choirboys who served him. This fraud set a high price for his prophecies and sent people abroad to stir up good PR for him. Word reached as far as Rome, from which rich but gullible Rutilianus came to visit; the false prophet even manipulated this guy into marrying Alexanders own daughter. This helped Alexander establish a spy network in Rome and create  mystery rites  for his cult,  like those of Demeter or Dionysus. So great was Alex’s influence that he convinced the emperor to change the name of Abonoteichus to Ionopolis (perhaps after another of Apollo’s mythical sons, Ion); the emperor also issued coins with Alexander on one side and the snake Glycon on the other! Alexander once prophesied he’d live until 150, then get struck by lightning, but his real death was less dramatic. Before he turned 70, one of his legs rotted all the way to his groin; only then did people notice he wore a wig to look young.

Essay Negative Body Image Leads to Eating disorders

Eating disorders â€Å"Many kids — particularly adolescents — are concerned about how they look and can feel self-conscious about their bodies.† Eating disorders have the power to affect everyday life. Not only in just teens but all ages. They are able to cause extreme weight changes. As well as, it could affect your health for the rest of your life. (Source 1) By having an eating disorder everything becomes based off of that, if it isn’t helped or stopped it could become serious and damage your health permanently. Information: Someone who has difficulties with any type of eating disorder have negative body imagines. Therefore this person begins to do things that mess with regular body functions and their life. Even though it seems as if eating†¦show more content†¦Anorexia and Bulimia could possibly cause kidney failure, heart problems, dehydration, and severe malnutrition. (Source 1) Some people that have a body image that is negative often develop an eating disorder. As well as, are more likely to fall into depression. Along with the depression can come anxiety. (Source 3) It is statistically proven that eating disorders have a huge impact on health, and is the deadliest mental illness. (Source 2) Eating disorders can cause teeth decay, diabetes, low blood pressure, swelling, and possible death. (Source 4) The eating disorders are physical and emotional problems for men and women and can be life threatening. They include behaviors surrounding weight and food, extreme emotions, and attitudes. Sel f-esteem is a factor for all eating disorders. (Source 5) Examples: With most of the people struggling with eating disorders being teenage girls, there is one example that could change a life. This sweet girl named Elizabeth Willis. It all started when she was in sixth grade, she had anorexia. She spent two weeks in the hospital because of this monster as she called it. She was determined to get over it. She wanted to be a good example for her 5 siblings. She stated that she wasnt going to the one to tear the family apart. She wanted to fight, she wanted to win. She knew she could overcome this. She wasnt alone. Therefore she fought it; she had complete hope andShow MoreRelatedBody Image : Breaking The Stereotypes And Standards947 Words   |  4 PagesBody Image: Breaking the Stereotypes and Standards There is a certain point in life that we become aware of our bodies and how others view them. The way we view our bodies, as individuals, can either help or hurt our self-esteem. Body image can be a very hard battle for anyone to fight; there is a tremendous amount of pressure put on mostly young women to match the â€Å"ideal† body type. What I want to know is, how can we overcome the stereotypes and standards set by the society we live in today? ItRead MoreEating Disorders And Body Image1613 Words   |  7 Pages Eating disorders and body image Cenia Xu Father Michael Mcgivney Catholic Academy Effects of Eating disorders have on teenagers Every day, teenagers are surrounded by different messages from different sources that impact the way they feel about the way they look. For some, poor body image is a sign of a serious problem: an eating disorder. Eating disorders are not just about food.The eating disorders containRead MoreNegative Body Image Essay1679 Words   |  7 Pagesskinny?† â€Å"I really need to stop eating so much†, and so on. The girl has never really thought about her body in these ways; she has felt neutral about it until now. She looks down, cautiously grabbing at her stomach in the same way that the other girls are. Later, when she goes on social media, she begins noticing how flawless celebrities are and how perfect their bodies seem in comparison to hers. Her mind begins swirling with thoughts. Body image, eating disorders, and their effects plague AmericaRead More The Medias Influence on Eating Disorders Essay example1100 Words   |  5 PagesMedias Influence on Eating Disorders The National Eating Disorders Association states that eating disorders are conditions that arise from factors including physical, psychological, interpersonal, and social issues. Media images help define cultural definitions of beauty and attractiveness and are often acknowledged as one of the factors that contribute to the rise of eating disorders (NEDA). The National Eating Disorders Associations website, The Effect of the Media on Body Satisfaction inRead MoreMedia s Effect On Teenage Girls1196 Words   |  5 Pageswhat society defines as the ideal body. As a teenager one wants to fit in with the most popular group. Recent movies like â€Å"Mean girls† and â€Å"16 wishes† have shown the role of the popular girl to be thin, beautiful, and smart. As a media consumer, females assume that if they achieve this look they will become popular as well. Many teenagers go through stressing situations in order to accomplish the ideal body image. For instance, many teenager s develop eating disorders or go through plastic surgery.Read MoreBody Dissatisfaction And Eating Disorders946 Words   |  4 Pages Body image involves awareness of the form, shape, and size of one’s body (Cash, 2012). This includes both a perceptual awareness of one’s appearance and an attitude toward one’s appearance (Cash, 2012). Body dissatisfaction involves the attitudinal portion of body image, which refers to the extent to which a person is displeased with his or her body (Cash, 2012). Body dissatisfaction contributes to the development of eating disorders because when people are dissatisfied with their appearance, theyRead MoreSocial Medi A Major Impact On The World Today1447 Words   |  6 Pagesor circle, also, it was the growing way of communicating with one another. However, even as I did own almost every type of social media account at the time, it did not lead to the most memorable high school experience socially. While I was growing up, I played soccer almost my entire life, but I did not have the typical soccer body. I was more stocky and short, compared to the ideal soccer player look, for example, Cristiano Ronaldo, who was tall and lean. My teammates would constant ly tease me, especiallyRead MoreThe Struggles of Self Esteem662 Words   |  3 Pagescriticism can lead to dissatisfaction with one’s body image and self esteem. Body image distortion is known to be affecting adults and adolescents worldwide. The pursuit for perfection often results in the sense of failure which regularly leads to acts of self harm. These acts can be as common as unhealthy dieting as well as excessive exercising which can build up into life threatening eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and depression are commonly associated with negative body image. Women withRead MoreSocial Media and its Effect on Eating Disorders793 Words   |  3 Pages and Facebook, but it comes with a problematic cost, mental disorders on the rise. Eating disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental disorders are rapidly becoming more and more common in hospitals all across the nation, and social media is fueling the fire. There are solutions, though, ones that can and will work. New solutions are being created, ideas such as better limits in social networking, a more healthy body image on billboards, and being more careful on what message companiesRead MoreThe Negative Impact Of Social Media And Body Image1452 Words   |  6 Pagesresearch, the tremendous exposure to the media has a negative impact in the consumers and their health, as well as their body image. The ideal body image that is seen by today’s society is tall, thin, muscular, and fit. It is constantly advertised in various forms of media including, such as televisions, mag azines, internet, and smartphone devices, which make others feel insecure about appearance and health. The constant reinforcement of the ideal body image throughout the media negatively impacts society

11th and 12th section review Free Essays

What was America’s first major industry? In what region of the nation did it center? Lowell, Massachusetts(Northeast). Textiles became America’s first major industry. 2. We will write a custom essay sample on 11th and 12th section review or any similar topic only for you Order Now Name three of this era’s important inventors and their respective inventions. John Deere perfected the plow. Cyrus McCormick, in 1834, received a patent for a reaping machine, a horse-drawn device that allowed one man to cut and stack ten to twelve acres of grain in a single day. Samuel Colt made his mark on the firearms industry. He patented and manufactured a â€Å"six-shooter,† a pistol with a revolving cylinder which allowed a user to fire six times before reloading. . Why was the discovery of anthracite coal in western Pennsylvania important? American farm production grew at a tremendous rate. In 1789, farmers had generally eked out only enough to feed their own families. But by 1861, the United States was producing nearly $2 billion worth of agricultural products each year. 4. How did the invention of the cotton gin increase the differences between the South and the rest of the nation? The growth of the cotton kingdom, however, widened the gap between the South on the one hand and the North and the West on the other. Cotton growing, for one thing, revitalized slavery. In 1790, slavery had seemed an increasingly unprofitable and dying institution. With the advent of the cotton gin, however, many planters thought that slavery was necessary again. 1. Name two methods of surfacing roads in the nineteenth century. Corduroy roads and toll roads 2. What event marked the beginning of the canal era? The canal era began in 1817, when New York, at the urging of Governor DeWitt Clinton, began building a canal from Albany to Lake Erie. 3. What was America’s most important method of transportation by 1861? The clipper ship 4. What was the first economically successful railroad in America? Who designed its first steam engine? Baltimore Ohio (B O) Railroad and Peter Cooper 5. What system of carrying mail across the continent began in 1860? What invention put it out of business? Semaphore and Telegraph 1 . What was the most controversial reform movement of the first half of the nineteenth century? Who was its most important leader? Without doubt the most controversial reform movement in the first half of the nineteenth century was abolitionism, the movement to eliminate slavery and William Lloyd Garrison. 2. What were the two important trends in American education in the early 1800s? Two important trends developed in the reform of American education during this period: the growth of both public education and teacher education. Most schooling since colonial days had been a private affair. 3. What is the difference between temperance and Prohibition? Reformers eventually replaced their call for temperance, or moderate drinking, with a call for the outright prohibition, or banning, of the sale and consumption of alcohol. 4. How did utopian reformers differ from other reformers? Most reformers focused on a single major problem in society, such as prison reform r alcohol, and aimed at eliminating the problem throughout society. Utopian reformers, on the other hand, sought to establish small, perfect communities that would serve as models tor the retorm ot society at large. A utopia is an ideally perfect place. 5. Which authors defended romanticism’s idea that man is basically good? Which authors denied this idea? 6. How did the Journalistic approach of the New York Sun differ from that of the New York Tribune? He Sun contained sensational accounts of murders, scandals, and other lurid events to appeal to the baser tastes of readers. The Tribune, edited by Horace Greeley, supported reform fforts and attempted to educate and uplift its readers. The two approaches proved equally successful, and both the Sun and the Tribune attracted readers even outside of New York. 1 . Why did western Pennsylvania become an early center of American heavy industry? Guns and patents 2. How did reform movements affect the American public during the first half of the nineteenth century? More religion groups 3. During the Second Great Awakening, which were more emotional, the revivals in the East or the revivals in the West? In which region did the revivals center in the schools and churches? East and Northeast How to cite 11th and 12th section review, Papers

War Imperialism in Republican Rome, 327 BC-70 BC free essay sample

Critical analysis of work William Harris on reasons for effects of Romes expansionist policy. Ancient Rome developed from a small prehistoric settlement on the Tiber River in Latium in central Italy into an empire that encompassed all of the Mediterranean world, and the civilization that resulted formed the basis for modern Western civilization. The history of Rome can be divided into three major epochs: the kingship from the legendary foundation of Rome to 509 BC; the republic from 509 BC to 31 BC; and the empire, which survived until Rome finally fell to the German chieftain Odoacer in AD 476. The genius of the Romans lay in the military, in government administration, and in the law, and they valued crafty diplomacy as much as military discipline. The Romans conquered Greece, adopting Greek culture and transmitting it to the medieval world. Unlike the Greeks, they did not develop a philosophical theory of state and society. We will write a custom essay sample on War Imperialism in Republican Rome, 327 BC-70 BC or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Instead, they were the practitioners of