Author Description
'Dreams are products of the mind, and do not come from any external source' Artemidorus' The Interpretation of Dreams (Oneirocritica) is the richest and most vivid pre-Freudian account of dream interpretation, and the only dream-book to have survived complete from Graeco-Roman times. Written in Greek around AD 200, when dreams were believed by many to offer insight into future events, the work is a compendium of interpretations of dreams on a wide range of subjects relating to the natural, human, and divine worlds. It includes the meanings of dreams about the body, sex, eating and drinking, dress, the weather, animals, the gods, and much else. Artemidorus' technique of dream interpretation stresses the need to know the background of the dreamer, such as occupation, health, status, habits, and age, and the work is a fascinating social history, revealing much about ancient life, culture, and beliefs, and attitudes to the dominant power of Imperial Rome. Martin Hammond's fine translation is accompanied by a lucid introduction and explanatory notes by Peter Thonemann, which assist the reader in understanding this important work, which was an influence on both Sigmund Freud and Michel Foucault.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the ancient Graeco-Roman practice of oneirocritica, or dream interpretation, as a systematic method for understanding future events and human experience. Artemidorus, writing in the second century AD, argues that dreams are internal products of the mind rather than external divine interventions. He establishes a framework that requires the interpreter to account for the dreamer's specific social, physical, and personal context to derive accurate meaning from dream imagery.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A comprehensive compendium of dream interpretations covering the natural, human, and divine spheres.
- Methodological guidelines for analyzing dreams based on the dreamer's occupation, health, status, and habits.
- Insights into the social history, cultural norms, and religious beliefs of the Roman Imperial period.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide modern psychological or psychoanalytic validation for the interpretations offered.
- It does not cover dream traditions outside of the Graeco-Roman cultural sphere.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and historians recognize this text as the most complete surviving example of ancient dream interpretation, serving as a vital primary source for understanding the intellectual climate of the Roman Empire. Experts frequently highlight its historical significance as a precursor to modern psychological inquiry, noting its influence on later thinkers like Sigmund Freud and Michel Foucault.
Page Count:
416
Publication Date:
2020-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0192518879
ISBN-13:
9780192518873
Psychology
History
Dream interpretation
Social History
English & College Success
English