Witchcraft’s Hidden Histories： From Academia to Treadwell’s with Dr Christina Oakley Harrington

In this special episode—presented for the first time in Italian with (ala, literal and not always accurate) English subtitles—Dr Angela Puca is joined by Emanuele Viotti, founder of Ad Maiora Vertite, for a discussion on the religion of ancient Rome.Emanuele Viotti is a respected educator and independent scholar in the field of Roman traditional religion. Since founding Ad Maiora Vertite in 2012, he has authored and curated numerous publications—often in collaboration with academics—on Roman religiosity. Viotti lectures on Roman religion at the Centro Nazionale di Studi Classici GrecoLatinoVivo, where his courses are recognised by Italy’s Ministry of Education. He has presented at academic conferences, contributes to the rediscovery of Italian heritage through historically themed guided tours, and was awarded the Rimini–Europa in the World international culture prize in 2023 for his work on Roman tradition and historical outreach.Topics explored include:– The distinction between orthopraxy and orthodoxy in Roman religiosity– The numinous and the function of sacra privata vs. sacra publica– Ritual precision, priesthoods, and everyday cultic practice– The transmission of religious knowledge in domestic and civic spaces– Local religious variation across the Roman world– Misconceptions surrounding figures like Diana and “Lucifer”– The challenges and potentials of reconstructing Roman religion todayThis episode also critically examines how Roman religion functioned as a pragmatic, ritual-based system without imposed theological dogma, contrasting sharply with post-Nicene Christianity. Emanuele Viotti offers rare insights into original Latin sources, epigraphic evidence, and the ritual economy of the Roman world, while discussing how Roman traditionalism is interpreted and lived in contemporary contexts.CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/coursesWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/angelapucaSUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig/joinMY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTGe6OKRokHN2zUIxM?si=dd9f50a734b14f86MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/Bibliography provided by Emanuele 📚About Roman Religion:- G. Dumezil, La religion romaine archaïque, avec un'appendice sur la religion des Étrusques. Parigi, Payot, 1964- J. Sheid, Quand faire, c'est croire. Les rites sacrificiels des Romains, Editions Aubier, coll. «Historique», Parigi, 2005- J. Rupke, Pantheon: A New History of Roman Religion, Princeton University Press, 2018- D. Sabbatucci, La religione di Roma antica: dal calendario festivo all'ordine cosmico, Milano, Il Saggiatore, 1988- L. Ferro, M. Monteleone, Miti Romani: il racconto, Einaudi, 2010- M. Bettini, Dèi e uomini nella città. Antropologia, religione e cultura nella Roma antica, Roma, Carocci, 2015E. Viotti, La Via Romana agli Dèi: la storia, i miti, le fondamenta e i riti della religione romana oggi, Armenia, 2022About Moon goddeses:- Lucius Annaeus Cornutus, Theologiae Graecae compendium, 34- N. Serafini, La dea Diana nell'Ars Amatoria: Ovidio e la tradizione greca, in EVPHROSYNE, 41, 2013, 131-146- N. Serafini, Antichi dèi, oggi: la Ecate dei neo-pagani, Minerva 27 (2014), 203-225- (JUST FOR RECONSTRUCTION, NOT VALID ANYMORE FOR THE ANALYSIS) J. Frazer, The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion, 1915⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!

In this live interview, I am joined by Dr Christina Oakley Harrington—medieval historian, long-standing practitioner of witchcraft, and founder of the renowned Treadwell’s Bookshop in London—for a conversation that traces the intersections of scholarship, community, and contemporary esotericism.We explore the historical development of modern witchcraft, with particular attention to the inclusive dimensions of early Wiccan covens such as the New Forest group. Drawing from Christina’s research, the discussion addresses the presence of LGBTQ individuals in the early history of the Craft, challenging homogenised narratives and highlighting the movement’s radical potential from its inception.Our dialogue also reflects on the transformation of esoteric communities in London over recent decades. Christina discusses the decline of public gatherings such as the Pub Moots of the 1980s and 1990s, and considers the evolving role of the esoteric bookshop as a site of both knowledge transmission and community formation in the contemporary landscape.The conversation further addresses her personal journey from academic research in medieval studies to the establishment of Treadwell’s, offering insights into the ways historical scholarship and spiritual practice can mutually enrich one another. We also touch on her written contributions, including Dreams of Witches and The Treadwell’s Book of Plant Magic, which exemplify her ability to synthesise rigorous historical insight with accessible spiritual praxis.ABOUT OUR GUESTChristina Oakley Harrington is an independent scholar of religion who works on twentieth century pagan witchcraft and the history of European herbal magic Trained as a medieval historian (PhD UCL), she was a Lecturer in History for twelve years on the faculty of St Mary's University (Surrey). She is author of Women in a Celtic Church: Ireland 450-1150 (Oxford University Press) and Dreams of Witches (Black Letter Press) as well as articles both scholarly and journalistic. She co-edited Abraxas: International Journal of Esoteric Studies 2010-2015. Her popular work Treadwell's Book of Plant Magic, aimed at a general audience, has sold over 10,000 copies in the five years since its publication. Since 2003 she has run Treadwell's Bookshop in London, a crossroads between researchers and practitioners of Western esoteric traditions. In Spring 2025 she was Scholar in Residence at Harvard University's Center for World Religions. CONNECT & SUPPORT💖MY COURSES 👩🏻‍🎓 https://drangelapuca.com/courseWEBSITE & NEWSLETTER 💌 https://www.drangelapuca.com/#newsletterBOOK A TUTORING OR A LECTURE 📖https://drangelapuca.com/servicesBECOME MY PATRON! 🎩 / angelapuca SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ☕️https://ko-fi.com/drangelapucaONE-OFF DONATIONS 💰 https://paypal.me/angelasymposiumJOIN MEMBERSHIPS 👥 / @drangelapuca MY PODCAST 🎙 https://open.spotify.com/show/2TKoWTG...MY MERCH 👕 https://drangelapuca.creator-spring.com/FOLLOW ME👣YouTube (@drangelapuca)🌟Instagram (@drangelapuca) 📸TikTok (@drangelapuca) 🎵Twitter (@angelapuca11) 🐦Facebook (Dr Angela Puca) 👥⚠️ Copyright of Dr Angela Puca, in all of its parts ⚠️Music by Erose MusicBand. Check them out!Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5768951004397568