The Seer in Ancient Greece

University of California Press, 2008. Hardcover. Like new/Like new. Like new hardcover with black cloth to boards and gilt lettering to spine in a like new dust jacket. 8vo. (6.4 x 1.15 x 9.3 inches) Clean text free of marks or underlining. B&W photos and illustrations. Includes bibliography, general index and Index Locorum. 328 pp.

Fast shipping in a secure book box mailer with tracking. The seer (mantis), an expert in the art of divination, operated in ancient Greek society through a combination of charismatic inspiration and diverse skills ranging from examining the livers of sacrificed animals to spirit possession. Unlike the palm readers and mediums who exist on the fringe of modern society, many seers were highly paid, well respected, educated members of the elite who played an essential role in the conduct of daily life, political decisions, and military campaigns. Armies, for example, never went anywhere without one. This engaging book, the only comprehensive study of this fascinating figure, enters into the socioreligious world of ancient Greece to explore what seers did, why they were so widely employed, and how their craft served as a viable and useful social practice.