Examine individual and communal forms of Christian monasticism from the first through fifth centuries CE. Explore the social, economic and religious factors that may have made a life of self-denial attractive to many early Christians and the role of authority in these movements. Only one of the following may be counted: Classical Civilization 348 (Topic: Hermits, Monks, and Saints in Early Christianity), 348C, Middle Eastern Studies 342 (Topic: Hermits, Monks, and Saints in Early Christianity), 342 (Topic 54), Religious Studies 365 (Topic: Hermits, Monks, and Saints in Early Christianity), 365D. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.