In this issue of the Archaeologia journal a survey of magic is made. In his introduction, the author makes a compilation of the main points in the articles of this survey. Such as why did many Jews and Gentiles believe that Christ was a magician. How did the Church make the distinction between miracles worked by a loving God from those resulting from the diabolical alliance of magicians and demons. How did magic in Byzantium become a criminal offence, punishable by law. Why must a demon tell the exorcist his name if the exorcism is to be successful. Are the two categories of demons of the underworld and those who fly in the air descended from Empedocles? And lastly how was the distinction made between church ideology and magic rites since much of the ideology and rituals of the church were used by practitioners of magic in a distorted way.
Magic in Byzantium
22 Aug 2012
by Archaeology Newsroom
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