Circe the ‘Villain’: The Delegitimization of Women in Antiquity

The article delves into the evolution of Circe’s portrayal in mythology, analyzing her character as both a skilled sorceress and a wicked temptress. It explores how powerful female figures such as Circe were frequently vilified in history, and how they were stigmatized as monsters, witches, and prostitutes to diminish their societal roles. … More Circe the ‘Villain’: The Delegitimization of Women in Antiquity

Witchcraft and Depictions of Witches in Roman Sources

From classical portrayals from Roman sources of the witch and witchcraft, female practitioners are depicted as powerful icons that challenge and break both physical and societal boundaries of the natural order. As curse tablets reveal, wives who felt threatened by their husband’s slave women could resort to secretive magic methods as the Roman law was not on their side. In literature, Roman witches were depicted as horrific, a testimony to how males viewed women in power. … More Witchcraft and Depictions of Witches in Roman Sources