Magick in Ancient Greece
Ancient Magick Jan 1 - 7
Topic: Ancient Greece
When: Roughly 700 - 480 B.C.
Where: Southeastern Europe. Mainland is a large peninsula surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea.
Social Classes:
The class system, from highest to lowest, looked like this: male citizens, semi-free labourers, women (belonging to male groups but without rights), children, slaves, and foreigners. These are just broad groups, however. Within the male citizens group, there were many classes. The ‘best people’ were at the top, also called the aristoi. They were the most rich and could provide armor and artillery for themselves with ease. Men typically wore a chilton, which was made of lighter material since they were outside more; usually worn for exercise. These citizens lived a lavish lifestyle, and contained many of the powerful politicians.
Women wore a peplos, being a tunic from heavier material, typically draped over one shoulder. Women were unable to vote and had very few rights, for her main purpose was to take care of the family and children. However in Sparta, they were granted more rights than in Athens. Labourers, lastly, are the second lowest class before slaves. They were semi-free and dependent on their employer. They couldn’t be sold like slaves and often lived with their families. Though it was safer than being a slave, they weren’t granted any real security and were still harshly treated. They worked for most of their lives, and ate what they could.
Magick within Greece:
Magic in Greece contained spells and evil prayers, curse tablets, enhancing drugs and deadly poisons, amulets, and love potions. Magic was practiced by male and females who wanted to help their daily lives. First practitioners of magick were endorsed, and seen as wise holders of secrets and masters of diverse fields, such as mathematics and science. They were also feared, since they were so strongly associated with death and evil. They were impoverished and relied on to survive. Though the public perception of magick isn’t overwhelmingly negative, it is worth mentioning that the death penalty was delivered to a man and his family who were found guilty of harmful magic. Another woman received the death sentence for distributing bewitching drugs. Amulets were a large part of practiced magick. Talismans (bringing luck) and phylacteries (protection) were typically made of wood, bone, stone, and sometimes gemstones, though rarely. Many had inscribings of shapes, such as a phallus, eye, vulva, knots, Egyptian scarab, and a hand making a crude gesture. Many of these amulets are still used today in Greece, typically the evil eye, and Italy, which is typically the cornicello horn. Amulets were worn to cure a physical problem, to win sporting competitions, attract love, keep away evil, or protect the wearer of any bad magic. To make one, one had to invoke the Gods. Amulets were a widely accepted portion of magick, and used by everyone. Curse tablets were used to maintain public order, magic spells continued within Greece after the Egyptians and were used to help physical issues, improve one’s sex life, exorcism, initiation ceremonies, get rid of wild animals in the home, or to make an amulet. Poisons also appear, which used rare herbs and spices and incense from Asia.
Extra: Lesser Known Greek Gods
I know this wasn’t on the sheet, however there are so many gods within the Greek culture, I wanted to explore some further. By no means am I saying these gods aren’t known by anyone, however these are just some that I didn’t know beforehand. Links for more information about these gods will be in the sources section.
The Astra Planeti - Gods of the wandering planets
The Horae - In charge of the seasons, and kept the constellations in line
Aeacus, Minos, and Rhadamanthus - judge those who died and decide upon punishment
Zephyros of the west wind, Euros of the east, Boreas of the north, and Notos of the south - gods of the winds
Nemesis - helped to avenge those who were wronged
The Muses - Clio (History), Urania (Astronomy), Melpomene (Tragedy), Thalia (Comedy), Terpsichore (Dance), Calliope (Epic Poetry), Erato (Love Poetry), Polyhymnia (Songs to the Gods), Euterpe (Lyric Poetry).
The Fates - though known from Hadestown, Hercules, and Percy Jackson, these three Fates (Clotho - spinner, Lachesis - measurer, and Atropos - cutter) decide the destiny of a man’s life. I strongly suggest reading more about these!
Sources:
Greek Mythology Gods Lessor
Most of us have heard of famous Greek Gods such as Zeus and Apollo a well as demi-gods such as Heracles and Perseus and many others from my
For the Greeks magic (mageia or goeteia) was a wide-ranging topic which involved spells and evil prayers (epoidai), curse tablets (katadesmo
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The Ancient Greeks were not fussy about their clothing. The garments they wore were made for function, and they were made simply. A single p
Greece is a country in southeastern Europe, known in Greek as Hellas or Ellada, and consisting of a mainland and an archipelago of islands.
