Jan. 27-29 : An Anthropological Perspective on Magicians and Shamans and Magicians in the Ancient World
Thomas Brabham: tbrabha@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
A shaman, at least with some of the powers of great old shamans like
Orpheus, Pythagoras, and Empedocles, that was worshiped as a supreme God
and predicted his own resurrection that never took place. (Ans.-Simon
Magus)
Three of the greatest shamans were said to be Orpheus, Pythagoras, and
Empedocles. Expain the similarities and differences in power of these
three. (See pages 11-13 in Arcana Mundi)
Nicholas Backer: nbacker@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
In reference to V. Turner's essay, he quotes Max Weber as stating
that priests serve in "regularly organized and permanent enterprises."
I question this description's ability to distinguish between the
ceremonial leader of a popular religion, and that of an established cult
that has maintained more than a generation of followers.
Does M. Brown's analysis of the downsides shamanism contain
parallel the past when priests actively hunted for withches, which took
place on the same continent?
Kate Bolin: kbolin@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
objective:
Name one difference between a priest and a prophet
essay:
What traits define a magician? And how are these traits different
from a priest?
(obj.) What was the name of the serpent divinity at the center of
Alexander's false oracle, the story of which Lucian related in a letter to
his friend?
(ans.: Glycon)
(SA) Who was typically accused of witchcraft in ancient society (or
any, for that matter) and why?
(answer should focus on philosophers, people of a low or
nonaristocratic status and others on the "social
fringe")
Thomas Brabham: tbrabha@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Name three people who were accused and brought to trial for being a
magician/possings magical powers. (Apuleius, Apollonius, and Jesus- there
are also more correct answers)
Discuss similarities and differences between a priest, prophet, and a
magician. (class notes)
Michelle D Arens: marens@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Objective:
Name the three sources of evidence for ancient magic, and list
two examples of each.
Answer: Literature (fiction, philosophy, oratory, history, biography),
Epigraphical (laws of Twelve Tables, curse tablets), and Archaeological
(representations, artifacts).
Subjective:
Discuss the terminology used for ancient magicians in both the
Greek and Roman world, and the connotation attached to each term. What
are we able to infer from these meanings?
Tobin Cataldo: tcatald@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
essay question
Write an essay comparing the magician and the philosopher in the
ancient mind.
other question
Which philosopher was accused of maleficium after he married
the rich widow?
Nicholas Backer: nbacker@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
In Lucian's "Menippus Goes to Hell," for what reason does Menippus
go down to hell?
a) to meet the devil face to face
b) to learn a magical curse in
order to hurt his enemies
c)to find out the best way for a man to live
d) to follow in the footsteps of Heracles
Why have Jesus' "miracles" been attributed to magic by some, and
why do his "followers" resent and discredit such a claim?
The acts Jesus perfomed, raising the dead, curing the blind are
acts that people of ancient times attributed to magicians or sorcerers.
Those who believe in Jesus as a prophet or savior would take offense to
this comparison because of the negative connotation magicians and
magicals spells carry.
Robert Fraser: rfraser@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Give three terms or words that a magician may be called.
Magus, goes, Etc.
Suppose that Jesus was a magician. What would he argue in defense of
not being a magician? how would he go about proving his non-guilt in
order not to be killed. List examples from the Neusner readings and any
other sources that might back up your argument.
Nicholas Katsaounis: nkatsao@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Obj.: What forms of evidence are used today in order to prove the existence
of magicians throughout antiquity? What is their value, and how valid
are these sources?
Subj: How would you explain the change from the positive connotation
attached to magic, to the negative connotation of magic, from the
Archaic period up to the Classical period? What factors in society
facilitated this change?
Bradley S Laye: blaye@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Essay: Discuss the change in meaning of names associated with the
supernatural/magic as the societies in which they existed became more
developed.
Obj: What are the main differences identified in class between a magician
and a priest?
A: See notes from 1/22 and 1/27.
Derek Pepiak: dpepiak@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Define the term magos.
A magos, in Archaic times, referred to a Persian
priest (with a positive connotation). In the Classical period, it
referred to anyone who practiced secret magical rites (with a negative
connotation).
Compare and contrast priests and prophets, or priests and shamans.
See notes from 1-27-98.
Jason S. Lapkin: dweinbe@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Q. (Objective) List at least five characteristics of a magician?
A. Charisma, Individuality, "I-Thou" relationship, re/proactive,
controls supernatural, etc.
- see class notes for 1/27
Q. (Objective) What is a theurgist?
A. A philosopher who focuses on direct and personal contact with the
divine; they attempt to develop methods by which they can ascend to the
divine.
Q.(Essay) What sources of evidence do we have for magic in the ancient
world? What are examples of each? Which are more reliable? Why?
A. - see class notes for 1/29
Barbette Spaeth: spaeth@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
List and briefly describe five types of activities that magicians performed in classical antiquity. Why were these activities considered to be "magical", rather than "religious"?
In classical antiquity, certain people were considered magicians by some in their society, and yet they themselves or their followers argued that they were not. Under what circumstances and with what evidence were these people accused? How did they or their followers defend themselves from this charge? Discuss at least two examples of this phenomenon.
Discuss the problems surrounding the question "Was Jesus a magician?". Is this a valid question? Why or why not?