Taikakirja -book

Description of the Product

This book is about magic in ancient Greek and Rome. Please note this book is only available in Finnish!

A fascinating journey to the roots of magic by a renowned scholar of antiquity.

Why is the owl the familiar of witches? Where do tales of werewolves and vampires originate?

While magic, witches, and wizards are often imagined as products of a medieval fantasy world, many of our ideas about them can be traced much further back — to ancient Greece and Rome.

This compelling work of cultural history brings magic home to the classical world, where spells, curses, potions, divination, and healers were all part of daily life. At the same time, harmful magic was feared and strictly forbidden, and those accused of practicing it faced severe consequences.

Through vivid storytelling, the book explores a world where Circe turns men into pigs, Lucius accidentally transforms himself into a donkey, and magicians walk across water — blending myth, belief, and ancient realities into a richly detailed portrait of early magical thought.

• Author: Maijastina Kahlos
• Publisher: Otava
• Hardback, 240 pages