Topic: Byzantine Empire

The Sola Busca deck's cosmology is described as "wholly malefic," focusing on specific planets and fixed stars used for attack sorcery, or maleficium. Adams argues that this tradition is superior to popular grimoires like the Key of Solomon, tracing its origins directly to the Byzantine imperial elite. This "learned sorcery" represents a sophisticated stream of magic that merged with Italian elite culture following the fall of Byzantium.

The authors discuss Greek Fire, a Byzantine chemical weapon that burned on water, and the Lycurgus Cup, a Roman artifact that changes color based on light. The cup's properties are attributed to silver and gold nanoparticles ground to 50 nanometers in diameter. This suggests that ancient civilizations possessed a sophisticated understanding of materials science and nanotechnology long before the modern era.