Alexander of Paphlagonia

For other uses, see Alexander (disambiguation)

Alexander of Paphlagonia was a 2nd century con artist who founded a cult as part of his greatest con.

## Life

He was born in the village of Abonoteichus in Paphlagonia to a poor family. He lacked a formal education, but made the use of his looks and charisma to make his way in the world. He became apprenticed to a magician who sold potions for causing love or hatred as well as using magic for discovering the locations of treasures, getting inheritances, harming enemies, and other similar effects. This magician taught Alexander magic before he passed away.

He then started working with Cocconas, a con artist, and they travelled through the Roman Empire, improving their skill at conning others. In Bithynia they encountered a wealthy woman and convinced her to fund their travels as far as Macedonia. In Macedonia, they bought a domesticated snake and returned to Abonteichos, where they planned to have Cocconas declare himself a prophet while Alexander worked behind the scenes to perform "miracles" to help with the con.

In Abonteichos, the old temple of Apollo was being demolished, and they hid a number of copper blades inside, each bearing an inscription saying that Asclepius and his father would soon establish themselves in the city. When the blades were found, the people of Abonteichos started building a new temple of Apollo. At this time, Cocconas died from a snake-bite, and Alexander took on his role in the con as the prophet. He grew out his hair and acquired a purple robe with a white stripe, as well as a sickle. He faked an oracle that proclaimed him the son of Podalirius, and another stating that from the shores of Pontus Euxinus (the Black Sea) a liberator of Ausonia (Italy) would come.

When he revealed himself in Abonteichos, he was received as a god, and chewed on the root of a special herb to cause him to froth at the mouth, something attributed to divine action. He had crafted a head with facial features like those of a human's, and a mouth that could be opened or closed using a thread. He kept it hidden alongside the Macedonian snake.

One night, he went to the foundations of the new temple of Apollo and put a hollowed-out goose egg into a nearby fountain. In this hollowed out egg he had placed a baby snake. In the morning, he came into the square in an agitated manner, holding his sickle and wearing a gold sash. He climbed onto an altar and announced that the place was being honoured by the presence of a god, and then started speaking in Phoenician. The people started to pray, and he entered the fountain where he had hidden the egg, started singing hymns of Apollo and Asclepius, inviting Asclepius to reveal himself to the people, and used a cup to get the egg from the fountain. He then told people that within the egg was their god, and cracked the egg to reveal the baby serpent. People then started praying to the snake before Alexander left with it.

The next day he announced that the "god" had regained its natural size and invited people to see it. He positioned himself on a couch, dressed as a prophet, and held the Macedonian serpent, allowing it to coil around his neck. He hid its head under his armpit and instead held the false head in place. He made sure the room was dimly lit, with people being able to see it for only a short period of time as they walked through the chamber. He did this initially for a few days, and later whenever new people would come to Abonteichos. He also had images of this god made in copper and silver.

Next, he announced that the "god" would start to deliver oracles, and requested that those who wished to have one deliver sealed letters to him. He then went to the sanctuary of the new temple of Apollo and summoned those who had written letters, one by one. He returned their letters to them, with the "god"'s reply enclosed, seemingly unopened. In actuality, he had very carefully opened the letters without damaging the seals and had then resealed them once he had written a response. He also employed spies to learn as much as possible about each person to write a suitable response, which he always kept obscure and/or ambiguous. Many of the people who received oracles sent gifts to the "prophet" and "god" in thanks.

Once the novelty of this had worn off, he announced that Asclepius would answer questions directly from his own mouth. He set up the Macedonian serpent with the false head, and had a series of pipes and strings connecting the head to a nearby room where he himself was: he could control the mouth with the strings, and would speak through the pipe. There is also speculation that he made use of magnets in this. He gave oracles in verse where possible, but was vague enough that they could predict both a desired and undesired outcome at once:

* Alexander was invited to Rome in 174 by Marcus Aurelius to get an oracle from him for his war against the Germans. The oracle Alexander gave said that two live lions should be thrown into the Danube, which would cause a resounding victory leading to peace. This was done, and the lions swam out of the river only to be killed by the Germans. The Germans then routed the Roman army and brought peace to the region. Alexander's response was that the oracle promised a victory, but didn't say to whom.
* A rich man from Abonteichos wanted to know who should tutor his son. The oracle said Pythagoras and Homer, and the child died soon after. The father believed the oracle had predicted his son's death by naming two men who were already dead. If the child had lived, he would have been educated in their works.

Alexander became so confident at times that he refused to open letters and instead gave answers to the questions he expected from the information gathered by his spies, which led to notable errors, such as prescribing a cure for side ache when the question had been about Homer.

Due to Marcus Aurelius' patronage, Alexander was above suspicion as a fraud during his lifetime. He predicted that he would live to be 150 years old and die from being struck by lightning, but in actuality he died from a leg ulcer at the age of 66. After his death, he was treated as a demigod - sacrifices were made in his honour and statues of him were erected.

## Appearance

According to de Plancy, he had a clear complexion, bright eyes, a handsome stature, short hair, a short beard, and was graceful, gentle, and had a clear voice. In his role as the prophet, he grew his hair out.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 de Plancy, J. C., (1863). *Dictionnaire Infernal*. 6ed. pg.18
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 de Plancy, J. C., (1863). *Dictionnaire Infernal*. 6ed. pg.19