Detailed Information
GRC30290 - Magic in the Ancient World (Credit)* - 2017
Magic had a central place, alongside religion, in everyday ancient Greek and Roman lives. What beliefs did people in Antiquity have about magic and about how it worked? To answer these questions we will explore the descriptions of ancient witches, sorcerers, shamans, necromancers, oracles, ghosts, spells, and love potions, and the evidence of curses, voodoo dolls, and amulets from the ancient world, based on literary and historical sources. We will examine material from Classical Greece through to Late Antiquity, and the reception of ancient magic in more modern times (e.g. witch hunts, Harry Potter). The relationships between magic and ancient religion, Christianity, medicine, the law, philosophers, and the everyday lives of people from all levels of ancient society are key to our inquiry. We will use the sources to consider what the Greeks and Romans thought magic was, how they thought it worked, and why they used it.
Semester 1
Level 3
Lectures: Thursdays, 11:00 - 12:00, beginning 13 September 2018.
Tutorials to be selected.
If you are taking this module for credit, please take note of the dates below:
Term dates for revision: Saturday, 1 December - Sunday, 9 December
Term dates for exams: Monday, 10 December - Friday, 21 December
Open Learning Fee (audit only) €350 per module
Open Learning Fee (with assessment) €500 per 5 credit module
Upgrading from audit to credit: You may upgrade from being an audit student to a credit student up to three weeks into term. Please note, however, that you can't change back to being an audit student - if you decide not to complete the assignments and/or sit the exams, this will appear on your academic record.
Concessions
There are no concessions available for Open Learning modules.
Refunds
Refunds may in some instances be available for extenuating circumstances, such as serious illness, within two weeks of the start of the module. Requests for refunds must be submitted in writing, with supporting documents where appropriate.
Dr Helen Dixon