Magic in the Roman World: Pagans, Jews and Christians

Using in-depth examples of "magical" practice such as exorcisms, love rites, alchemy and the transformation of humans into divine beings, this lively volume demonstrates that the word "magic" was used widely in late antique texts as part of polemics against enemies and sometimes merely as a term for other people's rituals. Professor Janowitz shows that "magical" activities were integral to late antique religious practice, and that they must be understood from the perspective of those who employed them.

Naomi Janowitz is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California-Davis.