Copied and read in Byzantium, the second century a.d. Greek dream-key manual of Artemidorus was known in eastern and western Middle Ages through translations, the earliest of which, in Arabic, dates to the ninth century. The Oneirocriticon thus became a prominent example of the cross-cultural movement that relies on the strong belief in dreams as vehicles of meaning, which discloses the future of the dreamer. The sixteenth-century edition of the Greek text set the work within the Renaissance inclusive approach of the culture of the antique and gave Artemidorus a place among the classics of the ancient world. However, the importance of the Oneirocriticon goes beyond its being the unique comprehensive witness of the antique science of divination. By the range of dream images and symbols it contains, the classification of dreams it proposes and the technique of interpretation it applies, based on the social and economic identity of the dreamer, the Oneirocriticon presents an original perception of the dreamer's individual self and a vivid picture of the time of its composition. The discussion of Artemidorus in Sigmund Freud's Interpretation of dreams (1913) definitively established the authority of the Oneirocriticon, and interest in the book was further motivated by the standard critical edition by R. Pack (1963). The publication produced new translations, comments and influential studies, such as M. Foucault's analysis of how classical authors expressed the ‘care of the self’ (1984), or P. Cox Miller's study on dream experiences in Late Antiquity (1994).

The wealth of information included in the Oneirocriticon offers the possibility of manifold approaches pertaining to dream theory and interpretation as well as to the cultural, social and economic life of Artemidorus' age of transition. The recent volume, which stems from the study group working on an annotated new French translation of the text, aims at contextualising a selection of themes emerging from Artemidorus' narrative. Therefore, the seven essays in this volume – including the introductory chapter – do not intend to present fresh results or new synthetic readings of the text. Instead, they provide in-depth comments on aspects of the Oneirocriticon's content.

C. and d.B. underline the challenge of recomposing the biography of Artemidorus – almost impossible due to the sparseness of autobiographical passages of the Oneirocriticon and data drawn from other sources. Through prosopography, references to the cult of deceased emperors and monuments that were founded in Ephesus at about Artemidorus' time, the dating of the dream interpreter's activity to the century of the Antonine dynasty is confirmed. Moreover, on account of the double citizenship of Artemidorus – Ephesian and Daldian – and the network of persons mentioned in the text, C. and d.B. deduce that Artemidorus held a high social position.

Artemidorus was particularly devoted to Apollo Mystes, especially venerated in Daldis, the hometown of his maternal family. He even claims that the god inspired him while composing the Oneirocriticon. The contribution of F. Maffre shows that a number of passages reveal the influence of the representations of Apollo and other deities of Daldis on the text.

B. Perez-Jean addresses the complex question of the oneirological/oneirocritical background of the Oneirocriticon, and systematises its connection with the philosophical trends of the time. As D. Del Corno has already argued, Artemidorus was primarily interested in elevating oneiromancy to the level of science. Indeed, he stresses the importance of empirical research in the process of interpretation and favours the preponderance of the natural over the artificial approach. Yet, in proceeding to the classification of dreams and in establishing a comprehensive collection of dream symbols, Artemidorus drew inspiration, method and notions from the oneiromantic theory which was strongly connected to the philosophical discussions on oneirology. In her contribution, Perez-Jean carefully analyses the terminology employed throughout the Oneirocriticon and identifies the currents of ideas, of which Artemidorus made a personal as well as eclectic use. He was influenced by Stoicism, but he followed the sceptical line. Still, he did not neglect the oneirological elaborations after Philon, or the middle Platonic school, and several of his remarks bring him close to the medicinal literature of the time. Furthermore, Perez-Jean comments on Artemidorus' definition of allegorical dreams and underlines the relation of Artemidorus with the rhetorician and eclectic Platonic philosopher, Maximus of Tyre, to whom the first three books of the Oneirocriticon are dedicated.

Evidence on dream images and symbols interpreted as predicting imminent or remote decease of family members and close relations of the dreamers is explored by G. Weber. The Oneirocriticon – a manual for professional interpreters – is, of course, not interested in the emotional reactions to ominous interpretations; Artemidorus' descriptions of mortuary rituals reflect traditions, and grief is expressed with a commonplace vocabulary. With regard to the afterlife, the eclectic Artemidorus adjusts his views according to the specificity of the case he had to resolve.

D. Auger meticulously studies the passages of the Oneirocriticon pertaining to the theatre, texts and performance, and sheds light on a marginal though fundamental issue with regard to Artemidorus' cultural identity. She argues that Artemidorus was aware of the terminology applied to the elements of the scenic space on which each particular performance took place, the diversity of the actors' specialisation, the costumes and accessories. However, the evidence shows that Artemidorus kept a rather conservative approach with regard to the variety of performances, fashionable by his time. Thus, he readily records and interprets citations deriving from tragedies and comedies of authors of renown, whereas he lists all kinds of popular entertainment under the heading of dances. Obviously, Artemidorus' cultural self-image was that of an intellectual.

Economic activity occupies an important place in the dream experiences related in the Oneirocriticon. In his contribution, C. comments on the historical background and the actual realities pertaining to non-productive wealth accumulation, such as hoarding, and to the interrelated issues of loan, debt and credit.

The volume concludes with A.-M. Bernardi's survey of the Byzantine oneirocritic tradition. Following the seminal studies on dream-key manuals by S. Oberhelman, M. Mavroudi and G. Calofonos, she provides a clear picture of the Byzantine approach to divination. Curiously, she does not refer to the pioneer work of G. Dagron, in T. Gregory, I sogni del medioevo (1985), on the ambiguous attitude of the church with regard to dream interpretation.

Minor typographical errors, especially the inevitable faulty accentuation of Greek words (as e.g. p. 103: ὑποκρίσις instead of ὑπόκρισις and p. 124: ἀναγνωστής instead of ἀναγνώστης), and the intriguing double choice of transliterated and original Greek do not minimise the quality of the volume. From the updated bibliography are missing M. Trapp, ‘Artemidorus of Daldis’, in H. Cancik and H. Schneider (edd.), Brill's New Pauly. Antiquity Volumes (2009), and the graeca sunt non leguntur V. Kalfas, ‘Διάγνωση και πρόγνωση: Ο Αρτεμίδωρος και η αρχαία ερμηνευτική των ονείρων’, in D.I. Kyrtatas, Όψις ενυπνίου (1993) and M. Mavroudi, Αρτεμιδώρου Ονειροκριτικά (2002), with an important introduction on the author and the content of the book.