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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. This module is open to elective and international students. No prior learning is necessary, but some prior knowledge of the ancient world will be a help. PLEASE NOTE THAT ELECTIVE PLACES WERE ALLOTTED ON 09/09/21. IF YOU ARE AN ELECTIVE APPLICANT WITH A BACKGROUND IN GRC PLEASE EMAIL THE MODULE COORDINATOR.