Zosimos of Panopolis

Zosimos of Panopolis (fl. 300 CE) is the first historical alchemist whose writings have survived. A Hermeticist and a Gnostic, his work blends laboratory practice with profound spiritual allegory.

The Visions: Zosimos is famous for his recorded dreams, such as the vision of the 'Altar' and the 'Priest of the Sanctuary,' which describe alchemical processes as the dismemberment and spiritualization of the body. He emphasizes the 'Inner Man' and the need for the alchemist to be free from material attachments.