Demons in Late Antiquity: Their Perception and Transformation in Different Literary Genres (Transformationen Der Antike) (Transformationen Der Antike, 54)

The perception of demons in late antiquity was determined by the cultural and religious contexts. Therefore the authors of this volume take into consideration a wide variety of texts stemming from different religious milieus ranging from spells, apocalypses, martyrdom literature to hagiography and focus specifically on the literary aspects of the transformation of the demonic in this period of transition.

Since the perception of demons in antiquity depended on particular cultural and religious milieus, the authors in this volume take into view various texts – ranging from amulets, spells, apocalypses, martyrdom literature to hagiography – and focus specifically on literary aspects of the transformation of demons and their contextualization. Are specific conceptions of demons characteristic for a certain genre or, rather, for particular religious contexts, so that they appear as topoi independent of genre? Do certain representations of demons prevail in pagan, Jewish and Christian circles alike, irrespective of religious background? How do notions of demons function in apocalypses, hymns, hagiographies or texts from healing procedures and what interdependencies of genre and social context can be traced? These questions are analysed from diverse disciplinary perspectives that offer some fresh and surprising answers.

Eva Elm and Nicole Hartmann, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.