This is a full-length study of Charikleia, the heroine of Heliodoros' Ailhiopika. I set Charikleia in both her literary and cultural/ historical context. The thesis is divided into three chapters. In the first chapter, 1 discuss Charikleia within the genre of the Greek novel. The second chapter focuses on the issue of virginity and looks at the relationship between the Aiihiopika and early Christian literature, in particular, the Acts of Paul and Thekla. The final chapter focuses on the issue of women and education and considers the literary evidence regarding women philosophers
