Abracadabra

• Abracadabra is a word used today during performances of magic on stage.
• In the Ancient World the word was thought to have magic powers to heal sickness.

Roman Medicine

• The word Abracadabra first appears in a 3rd century CE Roman Work called ‘Liber Medicinalis’ by Caracalla‘s Physician.
• He suggests it should be written in triangular form and placed inside an Amulet, as it’s magic influence was believed to alleviate the symptoms of malaria.

Other Roman Magic

• Sator Square
  • This may also have had a magic role in warding off the symptoms of an unknown illness, in the same way as the word Abracadabra.
• Bath Curse Tablets
  • Bathers wrote curses on thieves and threw them into a pool.
• Abraxas
  • A Greek word engraved on amulets thought to have the same influence as Abracadabra.