Magic in the Ancient Greek World

Shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Award 2008

“Collins, associate professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Michigan, and author of Master of the Game: Competition and Performance in Greek Poetry (2005), seeks to introduce nonspecialists to areas of Greek magic, cover the highpoints of scholarly consensus, and offer new interpretative frameworks for understanding select Greek magical practices.” (New Testament Abstracts, January 2009)

"If you want to understand how the Ancient Greeks practised and viewed the magical arts then this book is highly recommended." (The Cauldron)

“Lots of interesting details, brilliant, clear chapters, great insights, and connections. There is a wealth of information and … fascinating little bits of trivia.” (About.com)

“This is not simply a rehash of previously covered material. Collins covers a range of magical practices … .This book is an important new addition to studies of ancient magic. Present[s] the reader with a full context for any discussion of magical practices. Collins achieves this without becoming bogged down in a discussion of terminology … which can sometimes derail other studies. The focus on Greek magic centres the book with a clear methodology of always bringing the discussion back to the Greek origins of the magic in question.” (Rosetta Papers)