Quaestiones in magica: Barbara Roberts
I am already impressed and surprised by the willingness of friends and colleagues to answers these daft questions I send them. To those who respond to my emails: I salute you! The second offering to The Gods of the Place is fellow OU postgrad and generally excellent human: Barbara Roberts.
Barbara Roberts is a PhD student researching Amulets in Late Roman Italy at the Open University with the Baron Thyssen Centre for the Study of Ancient Material Religion.
What are you currently researching and how did that come about?
BR: “I’m currently working on a chapter of my PhD dissertation – the whole dissertation is going to be on amulets in late Roman Italy and Sicily. This chapter is meant to build on an argument for including non-worn items and structural features under the term ‘amulet’ (from statuettes to mosaic pavements), describe what evidence there is in my area of interest, and consider how they might have affected people’s sense of place. It’s a lot but I’m excited by it!”
What was the most recent (academic) book you bought? And have you opened it yet?
BR: “I’m pretty sure it’s my copy of Ancient Botany by Gavin Hardy and Laurence Totelin, and yes, I have, but I haven’t read it cover to cover just yet.”
The hardest question in three words: magic or religion?
BR: “Welp – I think I could talk around this idea for hours! In terms of favourite concept to mull over it’d probably be magic, but I do unfortunately think they’re otherwise too equally important and inextricably linked to argue one’s primacy over another. Coward’s way out, I know!” AP: “It’s a right mire, self preservation is key”
Imagine you are on commission and trying to sell me an ancient curse, spell, amulet, or ritual. Choose your favourite and give me the pitch.
BR: “Want to bring success to your small business venture? It’s easy! Just follow these instructions to build a three-headed wax statuette in its own little juniper-wood temple, feast with it, leave a written strip of hieratic papyrus in it, and sing to it every morning. It could not be easier to gain power.*”
*Ease of ritual not guaranteed. Spell comes from PGM IV (lines 3125-71). AP: “Always read the T’s and C’s”
2020 has been an undeniable mess. How are you finding the world of academia right now?
BR: “I’m lucky to be at the stage I am in this dissertation, where making progress has been tough but not totally insurmountable and I’m still supported by funding. However, it’s been profoundly frustrating to see the lack of support given to friends and peers in less fortunate positions. The sense of community I’ve felt among fellow PhD students is wonderful, but it really doesn’t make up for how the pandemic has worsened already precarious situations.”
If you could have a toasty caffeinated beverage with anyone in the field of religious and magical studies, classics, and archaeology, who would it be and why?
BR: “I don’t think I’d enjoy their company, but with the additional requirement of time travel I’d love to pick the brains of any of the 19th-century antiquaries, folklorists, and anthropologists who dealt with amulets, like Frazer, Elsworthy, Lovett or Tylor. I’d like to know more about how much they based their definitions and theories of magic, amulets and apotropaicism on their readings of classical texts and how much to interpreting their own contemporary observations.” AP: “Fully respecting this dedication to the cause!”
It turns out that the Oracle at Delphi has turned up again in 2020. I put your name down earlier on and you’re next in the queue. You get one question. What is it?
BR: “Well, assuming I will only get a response that only makes sense after the fact, I think I’ll stick to the banal and ask if I’ll ever finish one of my knitting projects!”
Hit me with an excellent blog and/or someone on twitter we should all follow.
BR: “If you haven’t already, take a look at FastiRomani on Twitter, run by Britta Ager (@BrittaAger). It’s both educational and oddly soothing.”
Thanks Barbara! Here’s another recent interview with Barbara with the oh-so-very-pluggable Comfort Classics. Seriously check out all of CC! Follow Barbara on twitter @barbaroberts. Frankly the world needs more PhD students on ancient magic; I thoroughly look forwards to reading BR’s finished work. For the other instalment of QIM (am I really calling it this?): Stuart McKie.
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