In Roman mythology, Diana was the virgin goddess of the hunt, protector of nature and the Moon. Its equivalent Greek goddess in literature is Artemis, although in terms of cult it was of Italic origin. Diana was regarded with great reverence by lower-class citizens and slaves, who were able to receive asylum in her temples. The next episode will try to put in context the cult of the Goddess Diana, one of the most revered figures in paganism.
Many scholars of witchcraft claim to find their roots in a remote past that is not exactly determined
Others maintain that the cult of Diana continued during the late Middle Ages, being witchcraft an expression of paganism of Greco-Latin origin with elements of other oriental systems
It is difficult to know exactly what happened
It is true that in the 5th and 7th centuries, the cult of Diana as goddess of the fields and forests flourished among the European masses
In a culture dominated by Christianity, this cult was seen as a threat to the alleged religious unity, in a, still very fragmented cultural, environment in Europe
This cult also arises in the north of the Iberian Peninsula along with some numbers called ¨dianae¨, similar characters to nymphs giving continuity to magical beliefs of pagan origin
other similar characters emerge in different regions of Europe, such as Holda or Abundia and they begin to be related to spirits of the dead
The ecclesiastical authorities already consider these practices as a manifestation of the devil in the minds of weak individuals who allow themselves to be influenced and begin to manifest themselves in the form of severe accusations against women, who were blamed for indecent and criminal acts
Audio:
Subtitles:
The witches flights
Women in the pagan world
Christianity versus paganism and witchcraft
Magical thinking
The archetypes of feminine energies
Intuitive knowledge and rituals: a new perspective
The importance of the feminine, the moon
The 4 elements of nature and the 4 seasons
XV - XVIII century
The Coven / Sabbath
