Classical Culture and Witchcraft in Medieval and Renaissance Italy

This book explores the relationships between ancient witchcraft and its modern incarnation, and how classical accounts of witchcraft were used to attest to the reality of witches' powers in Renaissance Italy and beyond.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 278 pages
\n Publication date: 26 July 2018
\n Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG
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This book delves into the intricate connections between ancient witchcraft and its contemporary manifestation, thereby contributing significantly to the field of historiography. It is commonly observed that tales of witchcraft were prevalent in Greek and Latin classical texts, and that treatises addressing witch-beliefs made reference to them. However, the role of humanistic culture and the revival of classical ideals in the emergence of witch hunts has yet to receive thorough exploration. Marina Montesano conducts a comprehensive examination of Greek and Latin literature, unveiling how specific elements of ancient spells persisted throughout the Late Middle Ages, traversed the Renaissance, and reached their peak in the fifteenth century, when early Italian trials echoed the myth of the strix, which was prevalent in ancient Latin sources and in the collective memory of the people. Furthermore, the final chapter serves as a conclusive piece, demonstrating how in Renaissance Italy and beyond, classical accounts of witchcraft transitioned from mere stories to credible attestations of witches' extraordinary powers.

\n Weight: 618g\n
Dimension: 159 x 221 x 24 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9783319920771\n
Edition number: 1st ed. 2018\n