Magic and Law at the Border. The Early Medieval Leges
This article focuses on the concerns of the authorities as shown in the provisions on witchcraft and magic contained in the Romano-Germanic laws enacted from the sixth century (leges). These provisions shed light on what was prohibited and what was designated as magic; however, the attitude of the a...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Firenze University Press
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Lea |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-lea/article/view/14936 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849729657023234048 |
|---|---|
| author | Daniela Fruscione |
| author_facet | Daniela Fruscione |
| author_sort | Daniela Fruscione |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article focuses on the concerns of the authorities as shown in the provisions on witchcraft and magic contained in the Romano-Germanic laws enacted from the sixth century (leges). These provisions shed light on what was prohibited and what was designated as magic; however, the attitude of the authorities towards magic and witchcraft was not univocal, mainly because of the religious and ethnic bipolarism underlying early European legislation on magic. Early medieval laws allow observing the formal expression of areas through which public concerns over the practice of magic operated. In most leges the use of magic was not punished as a religious offence, but rather for its destabilizing aspect regarding the social order. Moreover, the Church’s attitude towards magic was not monolithic: the official Church coexisted with local magical customs. The early medieval leges confirm that magic is a category dependent on the perceiver, encompassing practices and beliefs that border on other features of human experience, such as religion and law itself. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-920fed72fda448df998846b2c17b8119 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1824-484X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Firenze University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Lea |
| spelling | doaj-art-920fed72fda448df998846b2c17b81192025-08-20T03:09:08ZengFirenze University PressLea1824-484X2023-12-011231332910.36253/lea-1824-484x-1493613765Magic and Law at the Border. The Early Medieval LegesDaniela Fruscione0Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am MainThis article focuses on the concerns of the authorities as shown in the provisions on witchcraft and magic contained in the Romano-Germanic laws enacted from the sixth century (leges). These provisions shed light on what was prohibited and what was designated as magic; however, the attitude of the authorities towards magic and witchcraft was not univocal, mainly because of the religious and ethnic bipolarism underlying early European legislation on magic. Early medieval laws allow observing the formal expression of areas through which public concerns over the practice of magic operated. In most leges the use of magic was not punished as a religious offence, but rather for its destabilizing aspect regarding the social order. Moreover, the Church’s attitude towards magic was not monolithic: the official Church coexisted with local magical customs. The early medieval leges confirm that magic is a category dependent on the perceiver, encompassing practices and beliefs that border on other features of human experience, such as religion and law itself.https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-lea/article/view/14936early middle agesfamily-based societykingshipmagicromano-germanic laws |
| spellingShingle | Daniela Fruscione Magic and Law at the Border. The Early Medieval Leges Lea early middle ages family-based society kingship magic romano-germanic laws |
| title | Magic and Law at the Border. The Early Medieval Leges |
| title_full | Magic and Law at the Border. The Early Medieval Leges |
| title_fullStr | Magic and Law at the Border. The Early Medieval Leges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Magic and Law at the Border. The Early Medieval Leges |
| title_short | Magic and Law at the Border. The Early Medieval Leges |
| title_sort | magic and law at the border the early medieval leges |
| topic | early middle ages family-based society kingship magic romano-germanic laws |
| url | https://oajournals.fupress.net/index.php/bsfm-lea/article/view/14936 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielafruscione magicandlawatthebordertheearlymedievalleges |