Magic in the Ancient World
by Fritz Graf
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Description
Ancient Greeks and Romans often turned to magic to achieve personal goals. Magical rites were seen as a route for direct access to the gods, for material gains as well as spiritual satisfaction. In this survey of magical beliefs and practices from the sixth century B.C.E. through late antiquity, Fritz Graf sheds new light on ancient religion. Graf explores the important types of magic in Greco-Roman antiquity, describing rites and explaining the theory behind them. And he characterizes the show more ancient magician: his training and initiation, social status, and presumed connections with the divine world. With trenchant analysis of underlying conceptions and vivid account of illustrative cases, Graf gives a full picture of the practice of magic and its implications. He concludes with an evaluation of the relation of magic to religion. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Academic treatment of the title subject, with an emphasis on Greece and Rome. The introduction gives a good overview of the history of the study of magic itself (compare and contrast to Druids, Witches and King Arthur).
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Author Information
19+ Works 489 Members
Fritz Graf is Professor of Classics, Princeton University.
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Revealing Antiquity (10)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Magic in the Ancient World
- People/Characters
- Plotinus; Cicero, Marcus Tullius, 106-43 BC; Pliny, 23-79; Theocritus; Libanius; Apollonius of Tyana (show all 7); Lucius Apuleius
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, History, Religion & Spirituality, General Nonfiction, Anthropology
- DDC/MDS
- 930 — History & geography History of ancient world (to ca. 499) Ancient History: China, Egypt, Rome, Greece
- LCC
- BF1591 .G7213 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Psychology Occult sciences Magic. Hermetics. Necromancy
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 227
- Popularity
- 144,069
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.33)
- Languages
- English, French, Hungarian, Italian
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 7
- ASINs
- 1
