Philo's delegation and the Alexandrian crisis
About this date: The embassy belongs to Gaius Caligula's reign. 40 is an approximate anchor; the sources do not provide a single securely fixed modern date for every stage of the delegation.
A Jewish delegation led by Philo appeals to Caligula amid conflict in Alexandria. Josephus describes rival delegations and accusations concerning the refusal to honor the emperor as a god.
Historical context
This episode broadens the first-century map beyond Judea. Jewish communities in major Mediterranean cities faced local political struggles as well as pressure from imperial religious claims.
Key points
- Josephus identifies Philo as a learned member of the Alexandrian Jewish delegation.
- Apion appears as an accuser from the rival delegation.
- Eusebius names Philo's own writings and also quotes Josephus when recounting the embassy.
People
- Philo of Alexandria
- Apion
- Gaius Caligula
Sources and further reading
- Antiquities: the Alexandrian embassy
The rival delegations and Philo's reception by Caligula. - Church History: Philo and his writings
Eusebius distinguishes his reference to Philo's writings from his quotation of Josephus.