Acknowledgements
This book started out as a doctoral dissertation at the University of Helsinki. It is with great pleasure that I thank the people whose friendship, support, and wisdom contributed to the work. First and foremost I want to thank my supervisors, Prof. Antti Marjanen and Doc. Risto Uro. They have offered me support and encouragement while at the same time challenging me to sharpen my argumentation.
I am very grateful to the pre-examiners of my dissertation, Prof. Jennifer Glancy and Dr. Petri Merenlahti, for their insightful feedback and comments. Prof. Glancy was also my opponent in the public examination of my thesis. Her incisive comments and the thought-provoking conversation we had helped me to clarify my argumentation.
I had the privilege of being part of the research project “Gender, Social Roles, and Occupations in Early Christianity.” I want to thank Doc. Niko Huttunen, Dr. Kaisa-Maria Pihlava, and Kirsi Siitonen, who offered numerous helpful comments to my work along the way. I am also grateful to the international partners of the research project, Professors John S. Kloppenborg, Halvor Moxnes, and Carolyn Osiek, who offered valuable comments to my work.
The Department of Biblical Studies in the University of Helsinki has been a wonderful place for research. I have had the pleasure of working with a number of intelligent and inspiring people. Thank you all!
During the years I worked on my dissertation, I received funding from the Research Foundation of the University of Helsinki, the Finnish Graduate School of Theology, the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, and the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
Dr. Albion M. Butters revised my English. Needless to say, all remaining mistakes are due to my own negligence.
Finally, I want to thank my family; my parents Tuula and Hannu Asikainen, my sister-in-law Anniina Asikainen, and my brother Tomi Asikainen, who shares my interest in Classical texts and has always been interested in reading and commenting on my work.