Magic in the Ancient Greek World

Original and comprehensive, Magic in the Ancient Greek World takes the reader inside both the social imagination and the ritual reality that made magic possible in ancient Greece.:.; Explores the widespread use of spells, drugs, curse tablets, and figurines, and the practitioners of magic in the ancient world.; Uncovers how magic worked. Was it down to mere superstition? Did the subject need to believe in order for it to have an effect?.; Focuses on detailed case studies of individual types of magic.; Examines the central role of magic in Greek life.;Magic in the Ancient Greek World; Contents; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1 Magic: What Is It and How Does It Work?; 2 A Framework for Greek Magic; 3 Binding Magic and Erotic Figurines; 4 Homeric Incantations; 5 Magic in Greek and Roman Law; 6 Conclusion; Notes; Select Bibliography; Index.