Category:Philo (subject)

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Philo of Alexandria (c.15 BCE - c.45 CE) was a Jewish Hellenistic philosopher.

Overview

Philo was born between 20 and 10 BCE in Alexandria of Egypt, which at that time was one of wealthiest and most populated cities in the Roman Empire and home of the largest Jewish community outside the land of Israel.

According to Josephus, Philo came from a wealthy, aristocratic Jewish family, that had moved to Egypt probably in the Ptolomaic Period. Philo's brother, Alexander the Alabarch, was a Roman government official, a custom agent responsible for collecting taxes on all goods imported into Egypt from the East. This position made him one of the richest and most influential men in the entire Roman Empire, a personal friend of Emperor Claudius, and a Roman citizen. Alexander’s two sons (and Philo's nephews), Marcus Julius Alexander and Tiberius Julius Alexander were also involved in Roman affairs and played an important role in Jewish politics. Marcus Julius Alexander was the first husband of Berenice, the daughter of Herod Agrippa I; Tiberius Julius Alexander was governor of Judea (46-48 C.E.), prefect of Egypt under Nero (66-69 CE), and a supported of the Flavii Emperors during the Jewish War (69-70).

Philo received in Alexandria the best Hellenistic education and was well acquainted in Greek culture, literature and philosophy. Like the cultured Greeks of his day, he attended the theater as well as sport and social events. Like the Hellenistic Jews of his days, he maintained a strong sense of his Jewish identity, once visited Jerusalem and the temple (Prov 2:64), and played an active role in Jewish political and religious affairs. He was critical both of those who took Jewish scriptures too literally and those who went to excesses in their allegorical interpretation of the laws.

During the crisis relating to the pogrom which was initiated in 38 CE by the prefect Flaccus, Philo as a respected leader of the Jewish community of Alexandria was elected to head the Jewish delegation, which apparently included his brother Alexander the Alabarch and nephew Tiberius Julius Alexander, and was sent to Rome in 39-40 CE to see the emperor Caligula. He reported the events in his writings Against Flaccus and The Embassy to Gaius.

Philo died after his return from Rome, around 40-50 CE.

Phlio's legacy

As the leader of a competing form of Judaism (Hellenistic Judaism), Philo was a controversial figure in Rabbinic Judaism, where his positions are often alluded and criticized.

Philo enjoyed more fortune within the nascent Christian tradition as a precursor of Christian philosophy. Some Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria openly referred to Philo as their own ideal source of inspiration.

Philo of Alexandria in ancient sources

Josephus, Antiquities

Ant XVIII 8,1 -- There was now a tumult arisen at Alexandria, between the Jewish inhabitants and the Greeks; and three ambassadors were chosen out of each party that were at variance, who came to Gaius. Now one of these ambassadors from the people of Alexandria was Apion, who uttered many blasphemies against the Jews; and, among other things that he said, he charged them with neglecting the honors that belonged to Caesar; for that while all who were subject to the Roman empire built altars and temples to Gaius, and in other regards universally received him as they received the gods, these Jews alone thought it a dishonorable thing for them to erect statues in honor of him, as well as to swear by his name. Many of these severe things were said by Apion, by which he hoped to provoke Gaius to anger at the Jews, as he was likely to be. But Philo, the principal of the Jewish embassage, a man eminent on all accounts, brother to Alexander the Alabarch, and one not unskillful in philosophy, was ready to betake himself to make his defense against those accusations; but Gaius prohibited him, and bid him begone; he was also in such a rage, that it openly appeared he was about to do them some very great mischief. So Philo being thus affronted, went out, and said to those Jews who were about him, that they should be of good courage, since Gaius's words indeed showed anger at them, but in reality had already set God against himself. (Whiston's translation)

Eusebius, Historia ecclesiatica

II 4,2 -- Under this emperor (i.e. Caligula), Philo became known; a man most celebrated not only among many of our own, but also among many scholars without the Church. He was a Hebrew by birth, but was inferior to none of those who held high dignities in Alexandria. How exceedingly he labored in the Scriptures and in the studies of his nation is plain to all from the work which he has done. How familiar he was with philosophy and with the liberal studies of foreign nations, it is not necessary to say, since he is reported to have surpassed all his contemporaries in the study of Platonic and Pythagorean philosophy, to which he particularly devoted his attention.

II 5,1 -- Philo has given us an account, in five books, of the misfortunes of the Jews under Caius. He recounts at the same time the madness of Caius: how he called himself a god, and performed as emperor innumerable acts of tyranny; and he describes further the miseries of the Jews under him, and gives a report of the embassy upon which he himself was sent to Rome in behalf of his fellow-countrymen in Alexandria; how when he appeared before Caius in behalf of the laws of his fathers he received nothing but laughter and ridicule, and almost incurred the risk of his life. [5,2] Josephus also makes mention of these things in the eighteenth book of his Antiquities... <quote> ... [5,6] Thus far Josephus. And Philo himself, in the work On the Embassy which he wrote, describes accurately and in detail the things which were done by him at that time. But I shall omit the most of them and record only those things which will make clearly evident to the reader that the misfortunes of the Jews came upon them not long after their daring deeds against Christ and on account of the same.

II 6,1 -- After the death of Tiberius, Caius received the empire, and, besides innumerable other acts of tyranny against many people, he greatly afflicted especially the whole nation of the Jews. These things we may learn briefly from the words of Philo, who writes as follows ... <quote> ... [6,3] Innumerable other terrible and almost indescribable calamities which came upon the Jews in Alexandria during the reign of the same emperor, are recorded by the same author in a second work, to which he gave the title, On the Virtues. With him agrees also Josephus, who likewise indicates that the misfortunes of the whole nation began with the time of Pilate, and with their daring crimes against the Saviour.