Is monastic profession in the West-Syriac tradition a “second baptism”? A relationship clearly exists between the two rites of initiation in the West-Syriac tradition: the monastic profession and baptism. Aydin examines these two rites of initiation, comparing their external structures, common imagery and theological themes, and reveals that the monastic rite closely parallels, or even is modeled upon, that of baptism. Mor Polycarpus Edip Aydin explores the idea of monastic profession as a “second baptism,” or rather, the realization of what the gift of the Spirit at baptism really implies. An extensive Appendix contains Syriac texts with English translations pertaining to the Syriac rite of monastic profession, with relevant commentaries by Syriac Fathers from the 6th to the 10th centuries.

Volume 12 of Melilah, an interdisciplinary electronic journal concerned with Jewish law, history, literature, religion, culture and thought in the ancient, medieval and modern eras.

This volume presents five vivid tales of Christian martyrs from the fifth century. These accounts thematize the conflict between the martyrs' identity as Persian subjects loyal to the Zoroastrian king and their devotion to Christianity.

The historic American Journal of Ancient History. This volume contains three articles: Hunter R. Rawlings III, 'Antiochus the Great and Rhodes 197-191 B.C.', Erich S. Gruen, 'Class Conflict and the Third Macedonian War', and W.R. Connor, 'Nicias the Cretan? (Thucydides 2.85.4-6)'.

The historic American Journal of Ancient History. This volume contains three articles: Frank J. Frost, 'Tribal Politics and the Civic State', Susan Treggiari, 'Jobs for Women', E. Badian, 'Rome, Athens and Mithridates'.

The historic American Journal of Ancient History. This volume contains 7 articles: K.R. Walters, 'The 'Ancestral Constitution' and Fourth-Century Historiography in Athens', David Daube, 'Martial, Father of Three', A. Kasher, 'The Jewish Attitude to the Alexandrian Gymnasium in the First Century A.D.', D. R. Shackleton Bailey, 'A Merging of Licinii Crassi', A. B. Bosworth, 'Early Relations Between Aetolia and Macedon', Robert A. Moysey, 'The Date of the Strato of Sidon Decree (IG II2 141), and Robert J. Rowland, Jr, 'Nero's Consular Colleagues: A Note'.