I am deeply grateful to the many people who have assisted me in various ways while this book has been in preparation.

I owe a particular debt to Professor C. F. D. Moule, who supervised my work on an earlier draft which was submitted to the University of Cambridge in 1969 as a thesis for the Ph.D. degree. Professor Moule has not only assisted and encouraged me in many ways, but has set me an example of Christian commitment and of careful and thorough scholarship which I shall always value.

Dr A. H. McDonald, Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, and sometime University Lecturer in Ancient History kindly read a fuller draft of the material on Greek and Roman biographical writing and made a number of helpful suggestions.

I must also thank colleagues and students at Princeton, New Jersey, Cambridge and London who listened patiently to parts of the material in this book and made valuable and constructive criticisms.

My brother Murray took a keen interest in the progress of my work and looked forward to the appearance of this book. He died on 13 May 1972, while serving as a medical missionary at Ahmednagar, India.

My wife's love and patience have been an enormous encouragement, both during my studies in Cambridge and during the preparation of this book.