Do the 'Vernacular' Curse-Tablets from Italy Represent a Specific Knowledge- Practice?

A knowledge-practice can be defined as a field, or sub-field, of social action in which complex, systematised or partly-systematised knowledge forms the basis of a regular or intermittent practice. How far is such a model of knowledge applicable to the institution of writing vernacular curse-tablets...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Gordon, Richard L. 1943- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Mohr Siebeck [2019]
In: Religion in the Roman empire
Year: 2019, Volume: 5, Issue: 3, Pages: 417-439
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Roman Empire / Italy / Curse table / Folk religion
IxTheo Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
AG Religious life; material religion
BE Greco-Roman religions
Further subjects:B vernacular religion
B Illocutionary Force
B management of contingency
B curse-tablets in Latin
B curse-tablets in Italy
B Justification
B religiousknowledge
B rhetoric of lists
B religious field of the Roman Empire
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Summary:A knowledge-practice can be defined as a field, or sub-field, of social action in which complex, systematised or partly-systematised knowledge forms the basis of a regular or intermittent practice. How far is such a model of knowledge applicable to the institution of writing vernacular curse-tablets in the Italian peninsula between the later Republic and the reign of Constantine I? The paper advocates abandoning the usual classificiation by supposed purpose, as well as the notion of 'formulae', in favour of a sliding scale of rhetorical and religious competence displayed. The final section discusses the relation between these factors and the awareness of the need, especially pronounced in vernacular curses (i. e., those not written by ritual specialists), to establish a basis of authority vis-à-vis the other world.
ISSN:2199-4471
Contains:Enthalten in: Religion in the Roman empire
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1628/rre-2019-0024