Sibyls: Prophecy and Power in the Ancient World

Review

by Mark Cartwright
published on 27 March 2014

Jorge Guillermo's Sibyls examines the fascinating phenomenon of oracles and prophetesses in the ancient world. Beginning with an overview of prophecy from earlier times and mankind's fascination with predicting future events, the book moves on to examine the particular association women had with prophecy. The main body of the book covers an in-depth history of four prophetess oracles: the Erythraean, Cumaean, Delphic, and Tiburtine Sibyls. The book concludes with an examination of how these ancient institutions were fused with the later Christian tradition. Packed full of interesting facts and asides, and including references to later art, this is a very interesting addition to any general library on ancient Greece and Rome. It is especially welcome as this is a topic very often neglected in general works, and that despite the obvious importance of the Sibyls to the ancients themselves. This edition includes 10 colour photographs, a selected bibliography and an index.

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