Statues and Religious Controversies in Late Antiquity: The Tradition of “Animated Statues” between Magic, Sorcery and Oracular Practices

Abstract

In Late Antiquity the statues of deities were at the center of controversy between pagans and Christians and the subject of the religious policy of the emperors. In this paper, I will examine the tradition of the “animated” statues, simulacra of gods that for different circumstances could become “alive” and communicate with men: in addition to cases of statues animated through tricks or miraculous events, of particular interest are the beliefs about the statues that pronounced oracles, the “magical” statues and the statues animated through theurgic rituals. This survey could clarify the reasons for the condemnation of mythological and cultic statues by Christians and, at the same time, analyze the different ways in which the statues could be perceived by “pagans” in the complex context of late antique society.