Early Judaism- A Comprehensive Overview

Setting

While Philo might have written some of the treatises early in his life, the

bulk of the treatises — and all those extant — were associated with the po-

grom that broke out in Alexandria in 38c.e.and its aftermath. The explo-

sion occurred when Agrippa I visited Alexandria on his way to claim the

kingdom that Gaius had given him. A group of Alexandrians mocked the

king, and riots broke out. Two leading Alexandrians, Isodorus and Lampo,

promised the governor Flaccus support with the new emperor if he, in

turn, would support their efforts against the Jews. Flaccus, whose standing

with the new emperor was shaky because of his ties to Tiberius, agreed,

and the pogrom was on. He had, however, misread the political landscape.

He was summoned to Rome, accused in part by none other than Isodorus

and Lampo, and exiled. The new prefect, C. Vitrasius Pollio, moved the is-

sue from the streets into the courtroom. Two embassies set out for Rome:

an Alexandrian headed by Isodorus and Apion and a Jewish headed by

Philo. After two hearings, it was apparent that the emperor favored the

Alexandrians. Philo described the second reception of the Jewish delega-

tion in these words: “When we entered, we immediately knew on the basis

of his glance and body language that we had not come to a judge, but to an

accuser, more hostile than those who opposed us” (Embassy349). Follow-

ing the assassination of Gaius on 24 January 41c.e., hostilities broke out

again. Claudius quickly suppressed them, heard both delegations, and is-

sued a decree that attempted to reestablish the policies of Julius Caesar and

Augustus (Josephus,Ant.19.279). However, neither group of antagonists

was ready to give up: both the Alexandrians and Jews sent second delega-

tions (CPJ153 lines 87-92). Claudius settled the matter with a famous letter

that gave the Jewish community in Alexandria the right to practice their

ancestral religion but closed the door for them to have more (CPJ153).

Philo described his being thrust into these events in a famous passage:

“There was once a time when by pursuing the study of philosophy and the

contemplation of the cosmos and its contents, I enjoyed the beautiful, de-

sirable, and truly blessed mind.” These days were gone. “But the most trou-

blesome of evils, good-hating envy, lay in wait for me. Suddenly it fell on

me and did not stop pulling me down until it cast me down into a great sea

of civil cares in which I am carried along — unable even to keep my head

above water” (Spec.3.1-6). While this might refer to a more general role

that Philo played in the community, it probably alludes to his appointment

as a member of the Jewish delegation that left Alexandria in the winter of

278

sterling, runia, niehoff, and van den hoek

EERDMANS -- Early Judaism (Collins and Harlow) final text
Tuesday, October 09, 2012 12:04:08 PM