This book is a lightly revised version of a . dissertation which was submitted to the Faculty of Philosophy at Leiden University and subsequently publicly defended on September 7, 2000. A postdoctoral fellowship as part of the newly inaugurated program of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies at Trinity College, Dublin enabled me to prepare the manuscript for press. Scholarship is not, or at least should not be a solitary adventure. The present study thus owes much to many. It is with pleasure that I here record my deepest debts. First of all, I would like to thank my supervisor . Runia for.
