Australian Catholic University, Queensland, Australia

'Without doubt [Silke Trzcionka's] meticulous work is very welcome and a significant contribution to the field of research on (late) antique magic... Very impressive is her skillful narrative account and her fluent style of writing. With her fine and concise observations at hand the readers, no matter if they are specialists in the field, beginning students of (late) antiquity, or just readers interested in the subject matters, are enabled to develop some further insights in some very specific topics that could only be touched in the book. [Trzcionka] must be thanked for having written that fascinating book.' - Bryn Mawr Classical Review'[a] successful attempt to ignore modern distinctions between magic and religion' - International Review of Biblical Studies

• Introduction Methodology Syria and Palestine Curses for Courses: Heavy Tactics in the Hippodrome Supernatural Sabotage: Ensuring a Successful Livelihood Demanding Desire: Rituals of Love and Lust Apotropaism: Protecting Good fortune Illness and Healing: Threats and Retaliation in a Discourse of Power Possession and Expulsion: Experiencing and Dispelling the Daimonic Ambiguous and Miscellaneous Conclusions: Ambitions, Desire, Fears and Insecurities

Australian Catholic University, Queensland, Australia

'Without doubt [Silke Trzcionka's] meticulous work is very welcome and a significant contribution to the field of research on (late) antique magic... Very impressive is her skillful narrative account and her fluent style of writing. With her fine and concise observations at hand the readers, no matter if they are specialists in the field, beginning students of (late) antiquity, or just readers interested in the subject matters, are enabled to develop some further insights in some very specific topics that could only be touched in the book. [Trzcionka] must be thanked for having written that fascinating book.' - Bryn Mawr Classical Review'[a] successful attempt to ignore modern distinctions between magic and religion' - International Review of Biblical Studies

• Introduction Methodology Syria and Palestine Curses for Courses: Heavy Tactics in the Hippodrome Supernatural Sabotage: Ensuring a Successful Livelihood Demanding Desire: Rituals of Love and Lust Apotropaism: Protecting Good fortune Illness and Healing: Threats and Retaliation in a Discourse of Power Possession and Expulsion: Experiencing and Dispelling the Daimonic Ambiguous and Miscellaneous Conclusions: Ambitions, Desire, Fears and Insecurities

Australian Catholic University, Queensland, Australia

'Without doubt [Silke Trzcionka's] meticulous work is very welcome and a significant contribution to the field of research on (late) antique magic... Very impressive is her skillful narrative account and her fluent style of writing. With her fine and concise observations at hand the readers, no matter if they are specialists in the field, beginning students of (late) antiquity, or just readers interested in the subject matters, are enabled to develop some further insights in some very specific topics that could only be touched in the book. [Trzcionka] must be thanked for having written that fascinating book.' - Bryn Mawr Classical Review'[a] successful attempt to ignore modern distinctions between magic and religion' - International Review of Biblical Studies

• Introduction Methodology Syria and Palestine Curses for Courses: Heavy Tactics in the Hippodrome Supernatural Sabotage: Ensuring a Successful Livelihood Demanding Desire: Rituals of Love and Lust Apotropaism: Protecting Good fortune Illness and Healing: Threats and Retaliation in a Discourse of Power Possession and Expulsion: Experiencing and Dispelling the Daimonic Ambiguous and Miscellaneous Conclusions: Ambitions, Desire, Fears and Insecurities