Whipping between symbolism and ritual and magic practice: a case of convergence, in E. Suárez, M. Blanco, E. Chronopoulou (eds.), Los papiros mágicos griegos: entre lo sublime y lo cotidiano, Madrid, 2015 (Dykinson), 93-109.

With the following case study I will show how in antiquity the very same theme –whipping– appears in relation to different beliefs, and crosses the boundaries between magic practices stricto sensu and religious rituals. On the other hand, whipping manifests itself in very different chronological and geographical situations. This gesture often seems to convey analogous meanings and functions in so different contexts, and therefore it can offer information on the ambiguous relationship between magic and religion across the Greek and Roman world.