The Other King Solomon: The Ancient Texts That Made Him a Master of Demons

If you think you know the biblical king of wisdom, you have not read the forbidden texts.

King Solomon enthroned in the presence of angels, demons, animals, and birds. From a Persian manuscript, circa 16th century. Source: Walters Art Museum / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain.

Most of us know the story of King Solomon from Sunday school or historical documentaries. He is the legendary monarch of ancient Israel, the son of David, the builder of the First Temple, and the wisest man who ever lived. We know about the two women and the baby, the Queen of Sheba, and his vast wealth. But there is another Solomon, a shadow figure who emerged in the early centuries of the common era. This Solomon did not just pray to God for wisdom; he commanded legions of demons, bound them with a magical ring, and forced them to build his great temple.

How did the biblical paragon of wisdom become history’s most famous sorcerer and demonologist? The answer lies in a series of ancient and medieval texts that the orthodox authorities tried to suppress. These texts, from the Testament of Solomon to the infamous Ars Goetia, reveal a secret history of magic that shaped the occult traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for over a thousand years.