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

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

Fall. 4 credits. Student option grading.

C. Barrett.

This introductory course explores the roles of amulets, love potions, curse tablets, and many other magical practices in ancient Greek and Roman societies. In this course, you will learn how to invoke the powers of Abrasax, become successful and famous, get people to fall desperately in love with you, and cast horrible curses on your enemies! We will also examine a range of ancient and modern approaches to “magic” as a concept: what exactly do we mean by “magic,” and how does it relate to other spheres of activity, like religion, science, and philosophy? When people (in ancient times or today) label the activities of others as “magic,” what are the social and political consequences of that act? As we investigate the practices that Greeks and Romans considered “magical,” we will also explore what those practices can teach us about many other aspects of life in the past, such as social class, gender, religion, and ethnic and cultural identity.

This is an introductory course with no prerequisites or prior background required. All readings are in English.