Miracula

 Miracula

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       October 29, 2025

 

Author  Paul Chrystal

Distributor:      New South Books
ISBN:                 978-1836390497
Publisher:         Reaktion Books
Release Date:   June 23, 2025  

Website:    https://newsouthbooks.com.au/books/miracula/ 

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Weird and Wonderful Stories of Ancient Greece and Rome

Paul Chrystal has an astonishing knowledge of little-known ancient texts that were often boring and long winded. He has taken the essence of these texts and found humorous, extraordinary and amazing facts and retold them here. There is a great deal of fun and eyebrow raising to be had on reading this off beat and bizarre book Miracula.

At the beginning of each chapter the topic is revealed and the attitudes and social norms held by the Greeks or Romans is shared. What were the attitudes to slavery or torture then?

An early chapter discusses writings on agriculture. Some of the tips given suggest that you don’t plant on the 6th day of the month, but it is fine for the birth of boys. Gelding of kids and lambs hurts less then.

The chapter on Medicine is quite hair raising. As a cure for gout it was suggested you stand on a black eel on the water’s edge until the numbness has moved up to the knees. A poultice for an abscess had to be applied by a naked virgin with the required signs on her body. Big ears meant insensitivity, square ears meant bravery, while various kinds of dung were recommended for ailments.

In the chapter, “The death of Pyrrhus,” we are told that a mother watching her son fight the Greek champion was worried that Pyrrhus would defeat him. She seized a roof tile and threw it at the Greek and crushed his vertebrae. Her son was victorious. This is acknowledged as History’s best aimed tile. When the king of Persia invaded Egypt he ranged before his front lines’ cats, dogs and ibis, knowing that the Egyptians would do nothing to harm these sacred animals.

There are so many fun facts and stories to delve into in Miracula that will keep you entertained for hours and make you ponder days long gone, along with their weird and wonderous facts. 

History, Non Fiction