Cursing and curse tablets in the Roman West

Key Points

• To explore the cultural significance and implications of curses and curse tablets in ancient Roman society.
• Analysis of historical curse tablets from the Roman West
• Examination of language and terminology used in the curses
• Interpretation of themes and intended targets of the curses
• Curses targeted specific aspects of individuals, including their memory and speech
• Common themes involved control over someone's thoughts and actions
• Curse tablets provide insight into social and spiritual beliefs of the time

Abstract