An interdisciplinary study of the place of Judaism in the religious changes and development within the Roman Empire which surrounded the emergence of Christianity. These essays, by the most eminent scholars in the field, offer significant contributions to the subject, while together with the Introduction by the editors they present a new way of understanding the role of Judaism and the patterns of religious interaction. This collection will enlighten students and lecturers of the classics, ancient history, Jewish studies, as well as theology and religion.