RLB207 Magic in Greco-Roman Antiquity

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2008
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Dušan Lužný, Dr.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Timetable
Wed 16:40–18:15 A33 stara
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The primary objective of this course is to provide students with comprehensive introduction into Graeco-Roman magic. The course is divided into three thematically different parts. In the first part, the problems connected with the establishment and historical evolution of Magic as a distinctive category describing special modes of thinking and behaviour in the Greek and Roman world will be investigated. In the second part, this information will expounded by the thorough investigation of social contexts in which magical acts and practices prevailed (e.g. business competition, rivalry in love etc.) or methods used (e.g. curse tablets, magical papyri etc.). In the last methodologically oriented part, some theoretical problems connected with the definition and use of Magic as a scientific category will be explored.
Syllabus
  • 0. Introduction; 1. Magic in the Greek World: The Birth and Evolution of the Concept; 2. Magic in the Roman World: The Birth and Evolution of the Concept; 3. Seminar I.; 4. Magic as a Strategy; 5. Magic as the Realm of Marvelous; 6. Magic: The Problem of Otherness; 7. Magic in Judaism and Christianity; 8. Seminar II.; 9. Magic as a scientific Category: Problem of Definition and Method I.; 10. Magic as a scientific Category: Problem of Definition and Method II.; 11. Seminar III.
Literature
  • DICKIE, Matthew. Magic and magicians in the Greco-Roman world. London - New York: Routledge, 2001. ISBN 0415249821. info
  • JANOWITZ, Naomi. Magic in the Roman world : pagans, Jews and Christians. 1st pub. London: Routledge, 2001, xiii, 145. ISBN 041520206X. info
  • GRAF, Fritz. Magic in the Ancient World. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-674-54153-7. info
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Conditions of completion Students of Religious Studies: a) submission of a semestral paper and its acceptance; b) successful completion of a colloquium (discussion about a semestral paper; factual and interpretative knowledge of information provided by lecturer and reading of obligatory literature). Students of other fields of Study: successful completion of a colloquium (factual and interpretative knowledge of information provided by lecturer and reading of obligatory literature).
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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