Ancient Greek and Roman novels and related works of narrative prose are perhaps best known for their memorable characters and dramatic plots. Yet these texts are populated not only by people but also by material objects. The fourteen contributions to this volume explore material objects as well as themes of materiality, physicality, and sensory experience in works of ancient narrative prose, including not only the canonical Greek and Latin novels but also Lucian's True History, the Acts of Paul and Thecla, and the sixth-century bishop Gregory of Tours' accounts of miracles. These studies deepen our appreciation of ancient narrative prose by providing cultural and historical context, enriching symbolic interpretations of them as works of literature, and illuminating ancient economic and social structures. The dialogues between text and object, word and matter, and fiction and reality explored in this volume unlock new dimensions of understanding of the intertwined Greek, Roman, and Christian worlds of the ancient Mediterranean and demonstrate the vibrancy and relevance of ancient novel and ancient narrative studies within contemporary scholarship on materiality.
