Italian Renaissance Magic and Cabala
Oxford University Press eBooks October 14, 2008 DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195320992.003.0003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Italian Renaissance magic and cabala were part of a longer history of Western esotericism shaped by the transmission of Hellenistic culture through Byzantium, which preserved classical ideas when the Western empire fell. |
Abstract
This chapter examines the influence of Italian Renaissance magic and cabala on the history of Western esotericism. The history of Western esotericism during the Middle Ages is largely one of exotic transmission. The Eastern Roman Empire of Byzantium became the principal channel of classical and Hellenistic civilization when the western part of the empire was engulfed by the mass migration of barbarian peoples. Hellenism had not only assimilated Eastern ideas and religions, but also proved the most durable of all ancient cultures.