Archons: In Gnosticism, The Archons (From Greek Arkhon, “Ruler”[1]) Were Malevolent, Sadistic Beings Who Controlled The Earth, As Well As Many Of The Thoughts, Feelings, And Actions Of Humans. They Assisted Their Master, The Demiurge, With The Creation Of The World, And Continued To Help Him Administer His Oppressive Rule. According To A Gnostic Text Called The Reality Of The Rulers, The Archons “Have Bodies That Are Both Female And Male, And Faces That Are The Faces Of Beasts.”[2] Thus, They’re Not Truly Male Nor Female, Nor Human Nor Animal. The Ancients Found This Kind Of Boundary-Crossing To Be Deeply Threatening, And This Description Of The Archons Implied That They Were Forces Of Chaos, So “Mixed Up” As To Be “The Farthest That A Created Being Could Be From God.” In The Ancient World, The Self Wasn’t Seen As Being As Autonomous As We Today Think Of It As Being. It Was A Playing Field Where Various Forces Intermingled And Battled, Ultimately Giving Rise To Our Thoughts And Actions. For The Gnostics, The Archons Were Among The Most Powerful And Ubiquitous Of These Forces. They Were The Ones Who Were Ultimately Responsible For All Of The Evil Thoughts And Actions Of Humankind