CLASS 2646 - [Magic and Witchcraft in the Greco-Roman World]

(crosslisted) ANTHR 2846, ARKEO 2846, NES 2546
(HB) (CA-AS)

Fall. Next Offered: 2020-2021. 4 credits. Student option grading.

C. Barrett.

Modern perceptions of Classical civilizations often stress those aspects of their cultures that are compatible with contemporary concepts of “rational thought.” Certainly, Greek and Roman scholars did make great achievements in science, medicine, and philosophy - but these multifaceted societies also had a place for magical amulets, love potions, and curse tablets. Drawing on both archaeological and textual evidence, we will (1) investigate a range of ancient and modern approaches to the concept of “magic,” and (2) explore the role of magical practices in ancient Greek and Roman society.