The First Witches: Women of Power in the Classical World
- SecretWorldOfaBook
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
By Alexis Hannah‑Prescott
I’m buzzing with excitement because on June 30, 2025, Pen & Sword released a gem that’s so right up my enchanted alley: The First Witches: Women of Power in the Classical World by Alexis Hannah‑Prescott .
Why I’m absolutely enchanted by this book:
Because Hecate and Circe are back in the spotlight! Two divine, powerful figures who first shimmered their magic in Greek myth—Hecate, associated with the moon, the crossroads, and chthonic realms; and Circe, the bewitching sorceress of The Odyssey—are re‑centred as archetypal witches long before the term carried its later, darker connotations .
The book brilliantly chronicles how these figures, once seen through an aura of divinity, gradually became demonised in Roman and later literature—Hecate evolving into the consort of witches, Circe the dangerous femme fatale, while the “hag‑witch” emerges from Roman narratives embodying moral horror and fear-inducing imagery .
It’s a perfect storm of my two passions—Greek mythology and witchy lore—wrapped together with scholarly kindness and clarity. As someone who can’t resist the pull of lunar magic or mythic female power, this book feels like home.
Alexis Hannah‑Prescott doesn’t just write about legends—she brings them to life. With a background in Ancient History and Classics (including time spent at King’s College London and the British Museum), she weaves her expertise into every page . And as someone currently working in therapies and training myself, I deeply appreciate the gentle intelligence and emotional resonance she brings—even to figures as stark as Erictho and the Thessalian witches.
A Magical Thank-You (and a Question!)
A giant thank-you to Pen & Sword and Alexis Hannah-Prescott for gifting the world this illuminating journey into our mythic, magical roots.
Now, for the fun part:
If you could walk into Classical antiquity and spend an evening with either Hecate at her lunar crossroads or Circe at her island court—meeting as a curious, admiring mortal—who would you choose? What would you ask her?
Thank you again to Pen & Sword for publishing this gem on June 30, 2025, and thank you, Alexis, for letting me fall head-over-moon for classical witches all over again!
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