When Philo met Caligula
When the Jews of Alexandria appealed for help from Rome
In the year 40 CE, the Roman emperor Gaius was petitioned by a Jewish delegation from Alexandria. Among the delegation, probably the leader, was the philosopher, writer and Bible commentator Philo, a man who deserves more attention than history has given him.
The Emperor Gaius, better known by his derogatory nickname Caligula, meaning ‘little boots’, had recently been appointed to office. The delegation was visiting him to discuss the dismal situation of the Jews of Alexandria, who were suffering from a sustained campaign of attacks and persecution. (I wrote about it a few months ago):
The Roman governor of Alexandria, a man named Flaccus, was encouraging the Greek citizens of the city to riot, attacking Jews in the streets and setting fire to their homes and synagogues. In the synagogues that they were unable to burn, they erected statues of Roman gods and of Caligula.
Philo’s delegation set off for Rome to ask Caligula to rule on the trumped-up charges that had led to the riots, to convince him to find in the Jews’ favour and bring the attacks to an end. An opposing delegation of Alexandrian Greeks also set off, hoping to persuade the Emperor to support them; to allow them to deprive the Jews of their civil rights.
Philo was relatively confident that his delegation would succeed. The Alexandrian Jews had lived peaceably in the city since its foundation in 331 BCE and had maintained a good relationship with Caligula’s predecessors, Tiberius and Augustus, when Alexandria came under Roman rule in 30 BCE.
Philo, in his account of the delegation’s meeting with Caligula, explained that they had every reason to believe that he too would be as benevolent as his forerunners. After all, he had inherited a prosperous and peaceful empire, one that was happy and joyful (so Philo says), delighted at their Emperor’s recent recovery from a severe and debilitating illness. Furthermore, even before the delegation had set off for Rome, Caligula had recalled the villainous Flaccus from Alexandria and had ordered his execution. Although the anti-Jewish feeling in the city had not abated when they left, the delegation set off for Rome with high hopes. They were confident that the Emperor would rule in their favour. What could possibly go wrong?