Defixiones: Ancient Roman Curse Tablets Became Big Business

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - For over 700 years, ancient Romans bought a variety of defixiones – curse tablets to cast evil spells on anyone and anything.

Ancient Romans believed in the power of spells and thought these magical curse tablets would help them destroy their enemies. But you have to act quickly. It was vital to buy the curse tablet before your enemy came up with the same idea.

The Roman curse tablets from Bath Britain's earliest prayers. One of the 130 Bath curse tablets. The inscription in British Latin translates as: "May he who carried off Vilbia from me become liquid as the water. May she who so obscenely devoured her become dumb". Image credit: Mike Peel  - (www.mikepeel.net) - CC BY-SA 4.0

The Ancient Business Of Buying Curse Tablets

The defixiones, curse tablets, were made of lead or lead alloys. It was a material that would endure harsh climatic elements and survive longer. It was less costly than the papyrus and wax alternatives. Sometimes limestone, ceramics, and even semi-precious stones were used to convey the desired ancient messages.

According to Pliny, the Elder (23 AD - 79 AD), a Roman scholar, Gaius Plinius Secundus, knew ancient Romans deeply feared curses.

Archaeologists have unearthed more than 1500 ancient curse tablets. Most of them were found in Italy, often near Rome. Several curse tablets have also been unearthed in Roman Britain. People bought curse tablets from "professional" magicians, who had ready curse tables in their stocks. All the customer had to do was state the victim's name. This name was quickly inscribed on the defixiones.

The curse tablets conveyed messages to influential gods and spirits, usually asking them for victory over an enemy by binding them up in terrible trouble.

Ancient Curse Tablets Were Often Placed In Graves

Defixiones were laid as close to the victim as possible.

Roman curse tablet with voces mysticae in Greek. The name of the target, Caius Iulius Viator, was added in Latin. Found in Tongeren (Belgium), 70-100 CE, Gallo-Roman Museum (Tongeren). Image credit:  GRM Tongeren  - CC0

For instance, a curse on a chariot racer would best be concealed in the stadium;  the one targeting a prominent bureaucrat would need to be buried near his government office. It happened that they were also placed inside graves.

Ancient Romans believed that people who died early were doomed to wander around the Earth as ghosts. By placing defixiones inside graves, the curses could help the deceased get peace if the spirit helped execute the curse. The fact that it was strictly prohibited to open graves did not stop people who quietly sneaked in at night at placed a curse tablet inside the tomb.

Everyone Was Casting Spells And Cursed Others

There was no limit to the number of curses in people's beliefs. Many unearthed defixiones showed signs of people's selfishness and greed, revenge, justice, sport, business, love, and sex. Rivals in sports and business, for example, were cursed to fail.

Curse Tablets Were Forbidden Several Times

The ancient curse tablets became extremely popular and were undoubtedly a big business. The Roman Emperor made several attempts to forbid people from using them. The punishment for using defixiones was crucifixion or killing by wild animals. Nevertheless, no punishment could frighten ancient Romans, who kept buying the curse tablets and using them against their enemies.

Early Christians also used curse tablets for a while before the Church successfully managed to stop the spread and use of the defixiones.

Updated on January 15, 2024

Written by Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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