A closer look
Even in the 4th century, mystical gatekeeping was going strong. The philosopher Iamblichus wrote massive treatises defending 'theurgy,' which was essentially high-class ritual magic. He was incredibly annoyed by low-level sorcerers who used spells to summon gods just to fix their love lives or find lost money. He argued that you shouldn't command the divine to do your chores, but rather use rituals to elevate your own soul. The ancient equivalent of telling someone to read the room.
