"Yet despite all the slander, suspicion, and persecution, magicians were deeply involved in the personal lives of local populations and enjoyed fame and popularity among the laity, earning money from them. By claiming to be a mediator between the people and the gods, they became credible and reliable figures in their communities because the magic they performed was effective, either psychologically or in real life. The magicians listened to the people and established an authoritative image in the minds of those who came to them seeking help."
"Moreover, magic in the Greco-Roman context also meant a system of values that the magicians and their believers subscribed to, claiming to access something otherworldly. To be a brilliant magician meant to insightfully exploit one's psychological feelings and offer magic as a spiritual shelter to people who sought love and hate, who desired and wished for more than they already owned, and this was something Alexander of Abunoteichos (105-170) was really good at."
Magic pervaded the Greco-Roman Mediterranean (1st–7th centuries CE) through spells, herbs, spirits, curses, blessings, prophecies, and oracles. Practitioners often faced persecution and elite disdain while remaining integral to local communities by earning income and trust from lay clients. Magicians claimed mediator roles between people and gods, gaining credibility through effective practices that operated psychologically or materially. Magic also embodied a value system promising otherworldly access and emotional shelter for desires, loves, and hatreds. Alexander of Abunoteichos exemplified such magicians, achieving fame and even imperial recognition by exploiting cultural associations with Egyptian magic and performance.
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