Amulon emerged as a significant historical figure initially as the leader of the priests of King Noah, a group notorious for their iniquities and opposition to the prophet Abinadi (Mosiah 23:32). Following the death of King Noah, Amulon and the other priests fled into the wilderness. This move led to their subsequent encounter with the Lamanites, where they managed to secure their lives through the intercession of the wives they had taken forcefully, who were daughters of the Lamanites (Mosiah 23:33).
Upon joining with the Lamanites, Amulon and his brethren discovered the land of Helam, where Alma and his followers had settled. This encounter resulted in the subjugation of Alma’s people after a deceptive promise of safety by the Lamanites was broken. Amulon was installed as a ruler over the land of Helam and was granted kingship by the Lamanite monarch, although his powers were restricted by the overarching authority of the Lamanite king (Mosiah 23:39).
Exhibiting a deep-seated enmity towards Alma, presumably stemming from Alma’s defection and repentance from the prior way of life under King Noah, Amulon exerted his authority in Helam with cruelty. He became a taskmaster, imposing heavy burdens and afflictions on the people of Alma. Notably, he forbade them from praying aloud under threat of death, seeking to suppress the spiritual strength that sustained them (Mosiah 24:8, 11). Nevertheless, the people of Alma persevered in silent prayer, demonstrating resilience and faith, which the Lord rewarded by easing their burdens and eventually facilitating their miraculous escape from bondage. Amulon’s fate following these events is not detailed in the record, but the legacy of his people, known as the Amulonites, persisted as a hardened group, marked by their hatred and opposition to the Nephites and the teachings of the prophets (Alma 25:4).