Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

254 part two
apostasy. This was taken a decisive step further by Clement, who regards any
deviation from God’s procreationist law as rebellion. Reviews: V. Burrus, JECS
12 (2004) 256–258; K. Drabinski, JHSex 13 (2004) 522–525; C. A. Frilingos,
JBL 123 (2004) 756–759; D. Konstan, RelStR 30 (2004) 192–193; B. Nongbri,
Prudentia 36 (2004) 52–55; C. Straw, JEH 55 (2004) 738–740; D. K. Buell, AJP
126 (2005) 138–142; F. Careau, Phoenix 59 (2005) 390–392; M. J. Edwards,
CR 55 (2005) 294–296; A. Richlin, BMCR 2005.10.19; D. T. Runia, SPhA 17
(2005) 237–243; K. Greschat, JbAC 48–49 (2005–2006) 186–189; K. Pietzner,
Sehepunkte 7 (2007). (DTR)
20355.S.Gambetti,TheAlexandrian Riots of 38C.E. and their Implications
for the Experience of the Jews of the Diaspora: a Historical Assessment
(diss. The University of California at Berkeley 2003).
In the summer of 38 c.e. the Jewish community of Alexandria in Egypt
was brutally persecuted. An edict issued by the Roman prefect Flaccus, by
declaring the Jews foreigners, cancelled their πλίτευμα containing all their
privileges. The Alexandrian citizens, after having destroyed the Jews’ homes,
shops and synagogues, pushed them into a small part of the city. Punishment and
torture were reserved to those who would try to cross the limits of that quarter.
This event was the explosion of a situation which had existed in Alexandria
for a very long time, and which had ripened over the last year. In 37 the
emperor Gaius had endorsed the position of the Alexandrian citizens against
the rights of residence of the Jews, and had adjudicated in that sense. In 38
Gaius sent Flaccus his mandate, also containing orders about the transformation
of the previous adjudication into policy. By issuing the edict Flaccus executed
imperial orders. The social situation of Alexandria proved to be the proper
environment for the riots. The translation of old anti-Jewish Egyptian traditions
into Greek first (making those stories available to a Hellenic audience), and,
later, the advancement of a part of the Hellenized Egyptian population into
the body politic, transformed the Alexandrian civic institutions, especially the
gymnasium, into a hot-bed for anti-Jewish sentiments. In 37 these people were
successful in turning their bias into a judicial case, which the emperor endorsed.
An embassy to Gaius in 39 was not enough for the Jews to re-establish their
privileges. The emperor did not withdraw from his decision taken two years
earlier. Only Claudius in 41 would make some efforts to bring the life of the
Alexandrian Jews back to an acceptable situation. In the analysis of these events
constantuseismadeofsourcematerialprovidedbyPhilo.Thestudywas
published as a monograph under the title The Alexandrian Riots of 38C.E. and
the Persecution of the Jews: a Historical Reconstruction in Leiden in 2009. (DTR;
summary provided by the author)
20356. J. Gebara, LeDieucréateur,Histoiredeladoctrinedelacréation.
De Philon d’Alexandrie à Théophile d’Antioche (diss. Sorbonne, Paris
IV 2003).