A striking phenomenon in the cities of the Roman empire from the first to the third century CE was the predominance of voluntary associations of like-minded people who regularly met together. These Greco-Roman associations, such as professional collegia and religious cult groups, were similar in many respects to Christian communities and Jewish synagogues in organization and in the social relationships among members and between members and outsiders. There are, however, notable differences in their religious orientation, specific behavior patterns, and moral concepts. The essays in this volume explore specific aspects of the associations, synagogues, and Christian communities and provide a profile of their individual characteristics and their relationships to one another. unrevised e-book edition 2020; Original edition 2006