About the author
Derek Collins is a classicist whose book Magic in the Ancient Greek World (Wiley-Blackwell, 2008) is a scholarly study of magical practice in ancient Greece. The book examines spells, drugs, curse tablets and figurines alongside the social contexts and practitioners associated with them, aiming to place magic within both the everyday social imagination of ancient Greeks and the ritual realities of how it was actually practised. Rather than treating Greek magic as a marginal curiosity, Collins situates it within broader currents of Greek religious and intellectual life, drawing on literary, epigraphic and archaeological evidence. The book is written for readers with an interest in classical antiquity and the history of religion and magic, and is pitched at a level suited to both specialists and advanced general readers rather than as a popular introduction to the occult.
📖 Where to start with Derek Collins
💬 What our editors say about Derek Collins's books
“Derek Collins provides a rigorous examination of ancient Greek magic, effectively dismantling the notion that it was merely an aberration. The text is dense with academic analysis, making it unsuitable for casual readers seeking…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Magic in the Ancient Greek World Collins, Derek
“Derek Collins delivers a dense, scholarly examination of magic in the ancient Greek world, prioritizing academic rigor over accessible narrative. This book is ideal for those willing to engage with complex sociological and…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Magic in the Ancient Greek World Collins, Derek
