Bad luck

Superstitions are a big part of popular culture. Some are held onto out of ritual, while others originate from ancient religions but continue to be believed today. The ancient world was pagan, and the shift between the polytheistic pantheon and...

In both ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, reflected images were thought to hold mysterious powers. Damaging a mirror was believed to invite the wrath of the gods. 

Several Greek superstitions are not very different from those of other western people; the number 13, or the black cat, for instance. In countries west of Greece, the traditional day of bad luck is Friday the 13, whereas for...