Conversations: Now THAT is What I Call a Curse! Ancient Curse Tablets w/ Dr Charlotte Spence
Summary
Dr. Charlotte Spence discusses ancient curse tablets, revealing how people used lead inscriptions to influence outcomes through supernatural means. The conversation covers the materials, rituals, and diverse targets of these curses, from thieves to legal opponents, while exploring the psychological impact of such practices. Spence also highlights the agency of women in these rituals and the fascinating overlap between pagan and early Christian beliefs in the ancient Mediterranean.
Topics discussed
Host promotes new retelling of the Odyssey
Show intro and guest introduction
Overview of ancient curse tablets and their nature
Terminology, materials, and physical forms of defixiones
Categories of curses: legal, erotic, and professional
Prevalence, authorship, and psychological impact
Violent content, Ovid, and the myth of Procne and Philomela
Anonymity, legal recourse, and curses by women
Historical context, slavery, and social management
The Fountain of Anna Perenna tablets and wax seals
Christianity, pagan syncretism, and the Bath tablets
Religious continuity and superstition in rural England
Discussion on AI, history, and academic teaching
Sponsor segment: Quince
Lead properties, writing tools, and ritual specificity
Invoking the dead, unmarried women, and libation tubes
Nails, binding rituals, and archaeological contexts
Literacy levels and pseudo-inscriptions
Humanity, permanence of curses, and modern parallels
Sponsor segment: Citizens Bank
Violent erotic curses and manosphere comparisons
Instruction manuals, figurines, and nymphs
Attraction vs separation curses and gender bias
Petty curses in Bath and specific physical ailments
Online harassment, rape threats, and modern toxicity
Ovid's abortion poems and trauma in literature
Patriarchy, capitalism, and systemic oppression
Learning from history and the need for decency
Emotional expression for men and light-heartedness
Closing thoughts on dark history and personal anecdotes
Promotion of guest's upcoming book on the dead
Outro, show credits, and other podcast recommendations
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