The earliest references to adversarial deities or malevolent spirits date back to the ancient Mesopotamian and Persian traditions. The Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Persians all had figures that embodied chaos, destruction, and opposition to divine order. One of the most notable is Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) from Zoroastrianism, who represents the force of evil and chaos against Ahura Mazda, the supreme god of light and order. The dualistic nature of Zoroastrianism heavily influenced later Abrahamic religious thought.
In early Mesopotamian mythology, deities such as Enlil and Enki played complex roles in the cosmic order. Some scholars argue that Enlil, the storm god, displayed characteristics that would later be associated with an adversary figure—bringing suffering and hardship upon humanity. However, it was the Akkadian and Babylonian myths that introduced beings such as Pazuzu, a demon associated with disease and misfortune, which could be a precursor to later demonic entities in Judeo-Christian traditions.
