Short courses

Summary

This course places Greco-Roman magic practice in its social and historical contexts, considering its relationship to religion, its social and psychological dimensions, and the similarities and differences between magic practices and their representations in literature, most prominently the figure of the witch. 

This Courses Aims to: 

• position ancient Greek and Roman magic in its social and historical contexts 

• explore a range of sources for magic in the Greek and Roman worlds 

• acquire an understanding of the social and historical factors influencing literary representations of magic 

By the end of the course, students should be able to: 

• to critically evaluate sources for magic in Classical antiquity 

• to demonstrate understanding of the social roles of magic in Classical antiquity 

• to comment critically on literary representations of magic rituals and their practitioners