Ancient Ghost Stories

Ghosts and apparitions abound across the peoples of the early civilisations, from the Ancient Egyptians, the Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and the Vikings too.

Phantoms of the dead, warning apparitions and necromancy – there are many stories of ghosts to be found in the retold literature of ancient peoples: ‘Khonsemhab and the Ghost’ and ‘The Adventure of Setne Khamwas with the Mummies’, both from Ancient Egypt; ‘Philinnion and Machates’ from Ancient Rome; spirits featured in Homer’s Odyssey, ...