Undergraduate Modules

Magic in the Greek and Roman Worlds    

MODULE CODE: 2/3CLA6420

OPTION:  AH/CS

TAUGHT: Lent Term                                            

MODULE AUTHOR: Ms Evelien Bracke

LEVEL: 5/6   

CREDITS: 20                                             

TEACHING METHODS:                     

Lectures: 20 hours (10%)

Seminars:  4 hours (2%)                                            

Field visits:  n/a

Directed Learning:  25 hours(25%)

JACS CODE:     Q800

AIM(S)

To enable students to:

• study the ancient sources on magic, both primary and discursive texts
• gain an elementary knowledge of the ancient perceptions of magic
• place the sources studied in their literary and historical contexts
• develop and enhance their skills of literary appreciation and analysis

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this module students should be able to:

A. Subject specific skills and knowledge:

• Demonstrate familiarity with the range and nature of evidence for magic in antiquity
• Identify and describe the problems associated with the evidence
• Demonstrate familiarity with the social context of magic in antiquity
• Make scholarly use of secondary literature on ancient magic
• Develop an argument on the subject of ancient magic in a clearly structured and concise fashion

In addition level 6 students should be able to:

• analyse and evaluate the influence of gender and ethnic stereotypes on the representation of magic in the literary sources
• demonstrate a critical assessment of the secondary literature

B. Transferable skills and knowledge:

• demonstrate appropriate written skills
• present written work in a manner appropriate for a relevant/professional audience
• access and employ the relevant e-resources for the course
• demonstrate their critical, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• demonstrate independent learning skills through the use of the library and electronic resources

CONTENT

This module draws on a variety of literary, documentary and archaeological evidence in order to explore Greek and Roman understandings and uses of magic. We will consider whether magic was believed to be a separate category of practice in the ancient world: how far, and in what ways, did it differ from religion, philosophy, or medicine? Greeks and Romans turned to magic for assistance in many areas of life, such as finding and keeping a lover, curing physical ailments, cursing an enemy, or winning a court case. We will discuss archaeological findings including amulets, ‘voodoo’ dolls and papyri or spells, in order to determine what made real people resort to such means, and why they might have believed those means to be effective. We will also examine magic in literary texts, exploring the gender and ethnic stereotypes behind the representation of witches and magicians, and asking how far literature’s depiction of magical practices, such as necromancy, might have reflected any sort of reality.

ASSESSMENT

Level 5:

Examination: One two-hour exam (50%)

Course work: one 1,000 word assessed exercise (20%)

                         one 2,000 word assessed essay (30%)

Level 6:

Examination: One two-hour exam (50%)

Course work:  one 3,000 word assessed essay (50%)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Essential

• Ogden, D. (2002), Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds: A Sourcebook, Oxford.

Recommended

• Betz, H. D. (ed.) (1992), The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation, including the Demotic Spells, Chicago.
• Dickie, M. W. (2001), Magic and Magicians in the Greco-Roman World, London.
• Faraone, C. A. (1999), Ancient Greek Love Magic, Cambridge Mass.
• Graf, F. (1997), Magic in the Ancient World, Cambridge (translated by F. Philip).
• Gager, J. D. (ed.) (1992), Curse Tablets and Bindings Spells from the Ancient World, New York.

Updated: 09/09/2009

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