Book excerpt: Annotation As an historical period, Late Antiquity has thus far been defined by the transformation of Roman institutions, the emergence of distinct religious cultures (Jewish, Christian, Islamic), and the transmission of ancient knowledge to medieval and early modern Europe. Despite all this, the study of late antique literary culture is still in its infancy, especially for the Greek and other eastern texts examined in this volume. The contributions here make new inroads into a rich literature notable above all for its flexibility and unparalleled creativity in combining multiple languages and literary traditions.