Archaeological Institute of America

Alexander Hollman (University of Washington): Magic, Underworld Gods, Competition: The Newly Published Curse Tablets of Antioch & Caesarea (Rumpakis Lecture)
2026-09-24 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Willamette University School of Law, 245 Winter St SE (Paulus Lecture Hall, Room 201), Salem, OR, 97301, United States
Ancient curse tablets, with texts usually scraped into thin, soft lead sheets, then rolled up and hidden in tombs, wells, or walls, represent some of the most fascinating sources of ancient beliefs in magic and dark powers.
Curses could target rivals in business or love, circus charioteers racing against one’s own favorite faction, or even a humble green grocer who had done the writer some unnamed wrong.
Professor Hollmann (University of Washington), in collaboration with Robert Daniel of the University of Cologne, has been working on a on a two-volume edition, translation, and commentary of Ancient Greek lead curse tablets from ancient Antioch and Caesarea and will introduce us to some of his newest discoveries.
