Reardon\'s Collected Ancient Greek Novels

[Epictetus]

Stories like these, the sort of things that ordinary, if literate, people would read...

Interestingly, many of the heroines are brave, intelligent, active, commanding... all of the things we are told ancient women were not. One of the theories is that women were the main consumers of these stories, and they liked to read about powerful women.

I think Heliodorus had the best adventure story. Also, to tie Heliodorus with my earlier point, when the heroine originally appears in the story she is armed, which confuses and frightens some robbers.