Magic in the Graeco-Roman World 2900-HAMC-MR
The course introduces students to a wide range of magical practices in the ancient Greek and Roman world (ca. 500 BCE – 500 CE) by means of analysing literary texts as well as archaeological evidence. Following the completion of the course, students will become familiar with the depiction of magic and magicians in literary texts and acquire good knowledge of the main functional types of ancient magic (curses, binding spells, divination, apotropaic magic etc.) as well as their material supports (lamellae, papyri, gems, pendants, medallions, kolossoi etc.). Students will also gain insight into the difficult relationship between magic and related knowledge and/or power systems (medicine, religion, law).
Type of course
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Following the successful completion of the course, the student will be able to (a) identify the most important classical texts dealing with magic and magicians; (b) outline main functional types of ancient magic; (c) describe material supports and archaeological evidence for magical practices; and (d) competently discuss the range of reactions to magical practices attested in the text of ancient Greek and Roman law, medicine, and (Christian) religion.
Assessment criteria
Multiple choice written test, pass mark = 60%.
No more than three absences are allowed during the semester, of which two need to be made up by additional assignments.
A person who is more than 10 minutes late will be considered as absent.
Bibliography
Frankfurter, David (ed.) (2019). Guide to the Study of Ancient Magic. Leiden - Boston: Brill.
Edmonds III, Radcliffe (2019). Drawing Down the Moon: Magic in the Ancient Greco-Roman World. Princeton - Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ogden, Daniel (2009). Magic, Witchcraft, and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds: A Sourcebook. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Luck, Georg (2006). Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Dickie, Matthew (2001). Magic and Magicians in the Greco-Roman World. London - New York: Routledge.
Graf, Fritz (1997). Magic in the Ancient World. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Additional information
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