Timesuck with Dan Cummins cover image

355 - Witchcraft!

Timesuck with Dan Cummins

00:00

The Origins of Magic in Ancient Greece

The term magia came into Greek from the East. Its definition was initially fairly precise, although not in any sense that relates directly to modern notions of magic. The longest best organized and best preserved legal text from the ancient Near East contains sections directed against specifically magical crimes. If a man charged with sorcery and cannot prove it, he who is charged with sorcery shall go to the river. Into the river he shall throw himself. And if the river overcome him, his accuser shall take to himself his house. Pretty fucking shitty way to make legal decisions.

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