Once a widespread practice, sometimes an object of criticism, and at other times a subject of study, magic has never lost its significance. Especially in ancient Greek and Roman times, magic is one of the keys to understanding not only the way of thinking of broader social strata but also essential aspects of social life and daily existence.

Issues such as personal insult and legal disputes, competition and spite, romantic subjugation and revenge, fear and anxiety about the future, relationships with fellow human beings and with the gods, suspicion towards the unknown and blind trust in the professional magician, the circulation of rituals and texts in the Mediterranean, and the unbroken continuity of sacred practices from pagan antiquity to Christianity, are just some of the topics illuminated by the study of ancient magic.

No other field in the study of ancient religion has experienced a flourishing in the last twenty years comparable to that of the study of ancient magic. This interest may, to some extent, be related to the modern human’s reaction to the invasion of technology and the revival of irrational beliefs.

Fritz Graf's book is one of the most recent and widely discussed attempts to introduce the problematic nature of ancient magic. It examines both the history of research and the theoretical engagement with this subject, as well as specific questions: For what reasons did people turn to dark forces? What means did they use? How does one become a magician? What cultural factors shaped Greco-Roman magic? How did ancient thinkers or the law address it?

The Greek edition has been enriched with an extensive bibliographical supplement and a small anthology of magical texts in translation, providing the reader with an immediate insight into ancient magical practices.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]