Magia e poder no Egito tardio: a emergência dos sacerdotes-magos como theioi andres (séc. III ao V d. C.)

Abstract

This thesis aims to analyze the formation and emergence of Egyptian magicians-priests as theioi andres, divine men, and their role as power agents in late Egypt between centuries III and V A.D. As theioi andres the magicians-priests acquired comprehensive esoteric knowledge, learned by rigid formation in the artes magicae, which is based especially in initiation rites, whose purpose was the abandon of the profane matter in order to establish a meeting systasis with the sacred and, in this way, turn the magician priest able to receive the dynamis, the divine power and the whole range of spells, potions, formulas, hymns and divination techniques. By virtue of the powers that they possessed and could offer to individuals and communes, the magicians-priests of the Magical Papyri were power agents in late Egypt and their emergence and role has spread from century III to V A.D., period in which we observe in data the major presence of spells and incantations, that indicates the importance of the magicians-priests like men who acquire prestige and influence in their communes due to esoteric knowledge they acquired. For this purpose, we explored the Greek Magical Papyri and the material culture, in particular, the magical gemstones that date back to late Egypt. Therefore, it seeks to demonstrate that the magical practices and ritual teachings presented on Greek Magical Papyri and depicted in the magical artifacts correspond to a complex inventory of esoteric knowledge available to the magicians-priests, whose service could not be exerted by any person. Only the initiated into the magical arts had the favors of the deities and social prestige that gave them power and the dominion of supporters in the chora communes. The magicians-priests were depositaries of an important insight that broke the limits between the terrestrial and supernatural worlds, and this insight was recognized by Roman society at the Late Antiquity as extremely efficient and dangerous.