Bathin (Ars Goetia Demon)

Bathin is a high-ranking demon mentioned in the seventeenth-century grimoire, the Ars Goetia. He is called a Mighty and Strong Duke of Hell and commands thirty-seven legions of spirits. The demon is known for instantly transporting people over great distances and sharing special knowledge about precious stones and herbs.

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Overview

Attribute	Details
Primary Name	Bathin
Other Names	Bathym, Marthim, Batin
Titles	Mighty and Strong Duke, Duke of Hell
Gender	Male
Alignment	Neutral Evil
Role	Transporter of Men, Teacher of Herbalism, Discloser of Gemstone Virtues
Rank	Duke
Hierarchy	Subordinate to the higher infernal powers of the Goetic hierarchy; commands 37 legions of spirits
Legions / Followers	37 Legions
Appearance	A robust man with a serpent’s tail, riding a pale horse.
Powers & Abilities	Instantaneous teleportation, herbology expertise, lithology expertise
Associated Figures	Solomon, Bael, Agares, Vassago, Gamigin, Marbas, Valefor, Amon, Barbatos, Paimon, Buer, Gusion
Weaknesses	Regulated by the Seal of Solomon, constrained by specific conjuration rituals and geometric circles
Opposing Forces	The Angel Cahethel
Pantheon	Abrahamic (Solomonic/Goetic)
Region of Origin	Europe (via Late Medieval/Renaissance Grimoires)
First Known Appearance	16th Century (Pseudomonarchia Daemonum)
Primary Sources	Ars Goetia (The Lesser Key of Solomon), Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, Dictionnaire Infernal

Description

Bathin is seen as a spirit of practical skills and earthly knowledge. In the Ars Goetia, he stands for mastering the physical world and overcoming natural limits on movement.

Unlike demons linked to moral corruption or fear, Bathin stands for the risks of breaking natural laws using forbidden methods. He represents the wish for instant travel and the search for secret knowledge about plants and minerals, which were once seen as divine secrets.

Bathin acts as a link between the demonic world and material sciences, showing the old belief that the earth’s hidden properties were guarded by infernal dukes.

Appearance

Bathin is usually described as a strong, sturdy man. His main non-human feature is a long, thick serpent’s tail coming from his lower body. He is often shown riding a pale or white horse.

The horse is usually described as large and strong, matching Bathin’s size. There are no mentions of wings or horns. The focus is on the mix of man and serpent, and the special horse he uses to appear in the physical or astral world.

History

Origins

Before appearing in the grimoires of the 16th and 17th centuries, Bathin was said to be part of the angels who joined the first rebellion. He is not as well-known in stories about the War in Heaven as Lucifer or Beelzebub. Still, he is usually seen as a fallen angel who kept his great knowledge of the world.

After his fall, Bathin became a Duke in Hell and was put in charge of thirty-seven legions. His rise as a demon is linked to the time when people first wanted to travel quickly and learn the secret powers of plants.

The Binding of Solomon

The main story about Bathin is his capture by King Solomon. In the Lesser Key, Solomon used a magical brass vessel and a special seal to trap the seventy-two Goetic spirits. Bathin was the eighteenth spirit to be bound. In this story, Bathin had to appear before Solomon and promise to obey him.

During this time, Bathin’s main jobs were set. He had to give the King’s court knowledge about every herb and stone on earth. He was also used as a magical messenger, able to move people instantly from one country to another, avoiding the dangerous trade routes of the past.

The Classification of Weyer

In the 16th century, the demonologist Johann Weyer wrote about Bathin in his book Pseudomonarchia Daemonum.

Weyer’s account made Bathin an official part of the list of demons. At that time, Bathin was seen less as a myth and more as a real risk for occultists. He was said to be helpful if summoned with the right rituals, but dangerous to anyone without the proper authority.

During this period, Bathin often appeared in ‘black books’ used by sorcerers who wanted to travel far or find hidden treasures without having to explore in person.

Sources

Source	Quote
Ars Goetia	The Eighteenth Spirit is Bathin. He is a Mighty and Strong Duke, and appeareth like a Strong Man with the tail of a Serpent, sitting upon a Pale-Coloured Horse. He knoweth the Virtues of Herbs and Precious Stones, and can transport men suddenly from one country to another. He ruleth over 30 Legions of Spirits.
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum	Bathin is a great and a strong duke, he appeareth like a very tall man, with a serpents taile, sitting on a pale horsse: he knoweth the vertues of herbs and pretious stones, and can transferre men suddenlie from one countrie to another, and hath rule over thirtie legions of divels.
Dictionnaire Infernal	Bathim, ou Marthim, duc de l’enfer, grand et puissant; il a la figure d’un homme robuste; mais son corps se termine en queue de serpent. Il monte un cheval d’une blancheur livide. Il connaît les vertus des herbes et des pierres précieuses. Il transporte les hommes d’un pays dans un autre avec une rapidité incroyable. Trente-sept légions lui obéissent.

Powers

Bathin has the special power to instantly transport people from one place to another. He does not just move quickly; he skips the space between two points, letting someone travel from one kingdom to another in a moment. He does this by using the astral or spiritual planes to ‘fold’ distance.

He also has complete knowledge of the powers of herbs and precious stones. This is more than just knowing about plants; it is a supernatural understanding of the hidden qualities of plants and minerals.

When Bathin shares this knowledge, the person learns exactly how to use a stone for magic or how to prepare a rare herb for a certain healing or poisonous effect. Because he commands thirty-seven legions, he can assign these tasks to others, spreading his influence to many places at once.

Occult correspondences

Attribute	Details
Planet	Venus
Zodiac Sign	Virgo (or 25-29 degrees Gemini)
Element	Earth
Direction	West (or South)
Color	Green
Number	18
Metal	Copper
Crystal / Mineral	Agate
Herb / Plant	Mistletoe
Incense	Sandalwood
Sacred Animal / Symbol	Horse, Serpent

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