Narratives of Power A Typology of Syriac Historiolae with a Case Study of Charms against the ‘Child-Stealing Witch’

This article examines the historiola in Syriac magic across medieval and modern manuscripts. Section 2 proposes a working typology of Syriac historiolae and tests the applicability of David Frankfurter’s scheme to this material. Section 3 surveys narrative charms as a specific class of historiolae analyzing them thematically and structurally. Section 4 focuses on Syriac narrative charms that preserve a specific motif – the St. Sisinnius Legend. It serves as a case study, examining three Syriac narrative charms in which this motif is attested and revealing their connections to other magical traditions of the Middle East and the Mediterranean.