The Night Battles

The Night Battles details an understanding of folk magic, ritual and world walking in a working-class culture in Italy. In a classic understanding of folk magic practitioners vs witches, the Night Battles recounts the story of a peasant fertility cult centred on the Benandanti, literally translated to the “good walkers.” These men and women described fighting extraordinary ritual battles against witches and wizards in order to protect their harvests. While their bodies slept, the souls of the Benandanti were able to fly into the night sky to engage in epic spiritual combat for the good of the village.

The Inquisition’s officers interpreted these tales to support their world view that the peasants were practicing sorcery- this cultural clash resulting in the slow metamorphosis of the Benandanti into the Inquisition’s mortal enemies- witches.

Ginzburg argues with this exceptionally well-documented case study that a similar transformation of attitudes- perceiving folk beliefs as diabolical witchcraft- took place all over Europe to varying degrees.

An excellent look at types of rituals, holidays, tools, ancestral veneration, world understanding, charms and magic as practiced by the Benandanti. Ginzburg also takes a look at the survival of various spirit working understandings, and that of surviving pagan cults and how they translated into folk magic practices.

Another great microhistory academic book by Ginzburg.

Why we love it

The Benandanti are not often mentioned in books, but this book gives them the attention they deserve. It’s one of the books we consider to be a ‘foundational text’ when it comes to researching European Folk magic beliefs. As an academic book- and a translated one that, it may feel somewhat dense and repetitive as Ginzburg analyses everything. However, it’s this attention to detail that gave Ginzburg his insight into cultures of the past.

As with any micro histories- there’s never a ‘finish’ to the story, only more stories and theories that seek to be explored and hopefully inspire. And endlessly fascinating book, and one that only becomes more supported as historians and anthropologists research the folk beliefs of times past.

236 Pages – ‘The Night Battles’ by Carlo Ginzburg.

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