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Document Details : Title: Demons of the Bath and Solomon's Temple Subtitle: A Jewish Aramaic Silver Amulet Written in Greek Author(s): KOTANSKY, Roy Journal: Le Muséon Volume: 138 Issue: 3-4 Date: 2025 Pages: 237-269 DOI: 10.2143/MUS.138.3.3294912 Abstract : This article presents a new silver amulet, of probable third century CE date (letter-forms), supposedly from Jerusalem, that was written in Aramaic and Hebrew but using Greek letters. Inscribed across the width of the small metal scroll, the left side is comprised almost wholly of magic symbols (charaktēres) but the right preserves a spell adjuring (šb') the demonic spirits of the bath – a common haunt of dangerous forces – by invoking the angel of adjuration (ŠABAĒL). A second adjuration follows which subdues these demons by recalling the magic story (historiola) of Solomon’s controlling them in the service of building his Temple in Jerusalem, as recounted in the Testament of Solomon. The amulet, though written in Hebrew and Aramaic, but spelled out with Greek letters, was probably translated from an original Greek archetype. |
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