Module Information

The history of magic is one that is often studied through the lens of witchcraft, and more specifically the Witch Craze of the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries, which also spread across the Atlantic. What is less known however, is how and why magic came to be seen as heretical by the Church in the fifteenth century, after many centuries of largely accepted practice. This module focuses on the ancient origins of magic, and how magical practices and belief in the supernatural shaped society in the Middle Ages. By taking a primarily cultural approach, this module will investigate magical and supernatural practices that emerged from Antiquity and the Muslim world, whilst also introducing the different forms of magic that played an integral part in daily life such as: medicine, environmental magic, astrological practices, and divination.

By the end of the module students will develop understanding of debates over role and function of magic in society, and knowledge more broadly on the cultural developments of the Middle Ages. Students will also gain familiarity with secondary literature and the place of magic and the supernatural in historiography. Additionally, the use and application of primary sources in this module will be explored in depth through seminars.