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Why do you suppose that such items were so popular in Roman society? Were these a form of conflict resolution? Social catharsis? Just plain meanness?
3 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I suppose that these defixiones were a way to deal with everyday conflicts and disorders. People have to feel that they have control over a situation and ultimately their lives. I'm intrigued by the hammering of nails into the metal. It is supposed to bind the magic but I think its a great way to take out some aggression too. By physically acknowledging frustration, it becomes easier for the body and mind to destress. Defixiones seem to have a magical and therapuetic quality.
I think it's interesting that these "nailed" curse tablets were used in Rome, considering how infamous this society is for its crucifixion punishment. The imagery and metaphorical concept ("binding" or trapping and thereby harming the victim) seem similar.
Maybe in a society where people didn't feel that justice was easy to come about by mundane means (a corrupt or inadequate judicial system? legalized social injustices?), they turned to supernatural methods. I think the same has been done across time and space (e.g. various types of contact magic, voodoo, etc.).
Using defixiones tablets for problem solving weather internal or external was a healthy ways of dealing with things, as odd as that may sound. Using the tablets as a means of justifying a situation instead of acting upon it physically is better in my mind. Nailing a piece of metal is better then nailing a person. Even though the intent was that, many people today still wish bad upon people but that is not ilegal. Also doing something like leaving a tablet to effect someone negatively does not have any reprocution, at leaste in this life....
3 comments:
I suppose that these defixiones were a way to deal with everyday conflicts and disorders. People have to feel that they have control over a situation and ultimately their lives. I'm intrigued by the hammering of nails into the metal. It is supposed to bind the magic but I think its a great way to take out some aggression too. By physically acknowledging frustration, it becomes easier for the body and mind to destress. Defixiones seem to have a magical and therapuetic quality.
Deirdre Adams
I think it's interesting that these "nailed" curse tablets were used in Rome, considering how infamous this society is for its crucifixion punishment. The imagery and metaphorical concept ("binding" or trapping and thereby harming the victim) seem similar.
Maybe in a society where people didn't feel that justice was easy to come about by mundane means (a corrupt or inadequate judicial system? legalized social injustices?), they turned to supernatural methods. I think the same has been done across time and space (e.g. various types of contact magic, voodoo, etc.).
Margaret Ransdell-Green
Using defixiones tablets for problem solving weather internal or external was a healthy ways of dealing with things, as odd as that may sound. Using the tablets as a means of justifying a situation instead of acting upon it physically is better in my mind. Nailing a piece of metal is better then nailing a person. Even though the intent was that, many people today still wish bad upon people but that is not ilegal. Also doing something like leaving a tablet to effect someone negatively does not have any reprocution, at leaste in this life....
Emily Peterson-Wood
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