Routledge, 2023. — 648 p.
Magic and Religion in the Ancient Mediterranean World edited by Radcliffe G. Edmonds III, Carolina López-Ruiz and Sofía Torallas-Tovar explores aspects of ancient magic and religion in the ancient Mediterranean, specifically ways in which religious and mythical ideas, including the knowledge and practice of magic, were transmitted and adapted through time and across Greco-Roman, Near Eastern, and Egyptian cultures.
Offering an original and innovative combination of case studies on the material aspects and cross-cultural transfers of magic and religion, this book brings together a range of contributions that cross and connect sub-fields with a pan-Mediterranean, comparative scope. Section I investigates the material aspects of magical practices, including first editions and original studies on papyri, gems, lamellae containing binding curses and protective texts, and other textual media in ancient book culture. Several chapters feature the Greco-Egyptian Magical Papyri, the compilation of magical recipes in the formularies, and the role of physical book-forms in the transmission of magical knowledge. Section II explores magic and religion as nodes of cultural exchange in the ancient Mediterranean. Case studies range from Egypt to Anatolia and from Syria-Phoenicia to Sicily, with Greco-Roman religion and myth integrated in a diverse and interconnected Mediterranean landscape. Readers encounter studies featuring charismatic figures of Magi and itinerant begging priests, the multiple understandings of deities such as Hekate, Herakles, or Aphrodite, or the perceived exotic origin of cult statues, mummies, amulets, and cursing formulae, which bring to light the rich intercultural networks of the ancient Mediterranean, and the crucial role of magic and religion in the process of cross-cultural adaptation and innovation.
Magic and Religion in the Ancient Mediterranean World appeals to both specialized and non-specialized audiences, with expert contributions written in an accessible way. This is a fascinating resource for students and scholars working on magic, religion, and mythology in the ancient Mediterranean.
Ancient magic never fails to fascinate; the arcane mysteries of the ancient world continue to intrigue investigators, drawing renewed attention from many different perspectives and approaches. From new surveys and overviews to specific studies of curse tablets and gem amulets, exciting developments have continued to fuel an interest in the study of magic in the ancient world. This volume, designed to honor our good friend and esteemed mentor Christopher A. Faraone, opens a window into ongoing innovations and trends in the field. We have sought contributions that showcase two particularly fruitful and exciting approaches to the study of magic: the material aspects of magic, and magic and religion as nodes of cross-cultural exchanges in the Mediterranean. Both are topics of current and ongoing interest in the field, as well as areas in which the colleague we are honoring has made distinctive contributions.
This volume was conceived not only as a tribute to Chris Faraone, but also as a token reflection of all the inspiration and guidance he has provided for all of us over the years, in so many ways. It is hard to capture in words the influence that Chris has had upon us all, the enchanting quality of his guidance, the charm and fascination that he brings to any conversation. If, as some of the scholars in this volume have theorized, magic belongs to the “realm of the marvelous” or is characterized by the “extraordinary,” then Chris does seem to perform a kind of magic, since his work as a mentor and colleague certainly is both extraordinary and marvelous. He stands out not only as a pre-eminent scholar, but also as an amazing inspiration of scholarly work in others, and this volume provides some indication of the kind of scholarship he has stimulated and encouraged. This collection of essays draws together work from a number of scholars who have been touched by the “kind of magic” that Chris works in various ways. The scholars contributing to this collection span the gamut from junior scholars with recent degrees to now well-established senior scholars who were launched on their careers by his mentorship to colleagues who have worked alongside him in many projects. All of these scholars have enjoyed collaborating with him and sharing in his enthusiasm for the exploration of the ancient Mediterranean world as a place of dynamic interactions between religious cultures.
Contents
List of Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Abbreviations
Prologue — A Kind of Magic: A Tribute to Christopher Faraone
Section I Materials
Mustering Knowledge in the Longer Greco-Egyptian Formularies
The Composition of GEMF 31/PGM I and Its Sources
He Means ‘Rose’: Marginal Notes in the Greek Papyri of the Theban Magical Library
The Magic Hour: Cultures of Timekeeping in GEMF 57/PGM IV
Practice Your Spells When It Suits You Best: The “Cycles of the Moon” Transmitted in GEMF 74/PGM VII and GEMF 55/PGM III
Stars and Stones: Practice, Materiality, and Ontology in Astrological Rites
The Limits of Textuality in Artemidoros’ Oneirocritica
Magical Magnets? Mastering the Winds on a North Aegean Island
Fencing in the Drivers and the Chariot Horses in a Latin Defixio from Hadrumetum (DT 277 + 278)
Section II Cross-Cultural Contexts
The Problem of the Magi
Magicians and Mendicants: New Light from the Marmarini Inscription
Egyptian Herakles and Syrian Aphrodite?: Phoenician Art and Cultural Exchange in the Ancient Mediterranean
Uncovering an Earlier Version of the Demeter-Persephone Story: The Anatolian Background of Hekate's Appearance in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter
A Bronze Medallion in Madrid: Cross-Cultural and Material Transmission of an Amuletic Tradition From Syria to Sicily
“Bind Them as a Sign on Your Hand”: Amulets and Tefillin in Rabbinic Texts
A Misplaced Mummy: Thelxinoe's Corpse in Xenophon's Ephesiaka
Epilogue - A Kind of Magic: The Work and Legacy of Christopher Faraone
Index