Phenomena of graphic interference in Latin curse tablets from Africa

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Curse tablets are documents which can communicate by employing different types of σημεῖα, either linguistic or symbolic. The paper aims at shedding light on phenomena of Latin-Greek graphic interference in Latin curse tablets from Africa dated to the imperial period. It will be proposed that in order to investigate the motivations behind the borrowing of a writing in a multilingual setting such as Africa both sociolinguistic reasons, i.e., the possible bilingual literacy of the defigentes, and the peculiarities of the magical practice must be considered.