About the author
Daniel Ogden is a classicist and professor of ancient history at the University of Exeter, specializing in Greek and Roman religion, magic, and mythology. His books here, Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds and Greek and Roman Necromancy, are academic studies published by Oxford University Press and Princeton University Press respectively. The first is a sourcebook translating and contextualizing ancient texts on magic and witchcraft, while the second examines necromancy, the ancient practice of consulting the dead through tomb rituals, oracles, and attempts to reanimate remains. Ogden's work is grounded in primary sources and philological analysis rather than modern occult practice, and he is widely cited in classical scholarship on ancient magic. His books are used by students and researchers of antiquity as well as general readers interested in the historical roots of Western magical tradition.
📖 Where to start with Daniel Ogden
💬 What our editors say about Daniel Ogden's books
“Ogden’s work stands as an indispensable academic tool, offering a profound window into the supernatural beliefs of antiquity through meticulously curated primary texts. While the fresh translations make these ancient sources…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds: A Sourcebook
“Daniel Ogden delivers a meticulously researched academic text that demystifies ancient necromancy through rigorous historical analysis. While it offers unparalleled depth on methods and locations, this is not a narrative…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Greek and Roman Necromancy
