Greek Magic

Magic has always been a widespread phenomenon in Greek Society starting from Homerâs Circe (the first âevil witchâ in western history) and extending to the pervasive belief in the âevil eyeâ in the twenty-first century Greece. Indeed magic is probably the most ancient and durable among social and religious phenomena known to classical and other scholars and it can be traced over a span of some three millennia in sources in the Greek language as well as in an impressive range of visual and other media. For instance curse tablets from fourth-century B. C. Athens the medico-magical gems of late antiquity early Christian amulets and various exorcism prayers from the medieval and later periods. Organised chronologically the intriguing panorama offered by this book guides the reader through the ancient medieval modern and even contemporary periods highlighting the traditions ideologies and methods of magic in each period of Greek history. It brings together the latest insights from a range of experts from various disciplines: classicists art historians archaeologists legal historians and social anthropologists amongst others. . Language: English