Philo of Alexandria - Books and Journals

critical studies 2004 311
20466. G. Lacerenza, ‘Fra Roma e Gerusalemme: l’immagine di
Puteoli e dei Campi Flegrei in Filone Alessandrino e in Flavio Giuseppe,’
in L. Cirillo and G. Rinaldi (edd.), Roma, la Campania e l’Oriente
cristiano antico. Atti del Convegno di Studi, Napoli 9–11 ottobre 2000
(Naples 2004) 97–128.
A discussion of the passages in Philo and Josephus where reference is made
to the town of Puteoli (also named Dikaiarcheia) or the adjoining area (the
Campi Phlaegrei): Josephus BJ 2.103–104, Ant. 17.328–329, 18.159–161 (a passage
speaking about Philo’s brother Alexander, alabarch of Alexandria and
father of Tiberius Julius Alexander), 18.248–249, 19.5–6, Vita 3.13–16; Philo
Flacc. 26–27, Legat. 185–186 and Legat. 14. The information about a Jewish
community in Puteoli (cf. Acts 28:13), mainly to be derived from Josephus,
is not very substantial nor very certain. In any case, at least four persons
of importance in Jewish history of the Hellenistic epoch made their way
through Puteoli: King Agrippa I, Herod Antipas, Philo himself, and Josephus.
(HMK)
20467.R.A.Layton,DidymustheBlindandhisCircleinLate-Antique
Alexandria (Urbana, Il. 2004), esp. 144–151.
Didymus’ reading of Abraham’s migration (Gen 12) is based on Philo’s interpretation.
For both exegetes Abraham’s journey is a model of the road leading
to perfection. Didymus also considers Abraham as an example of the ascent of
the soul which is narrated in the Psalms. Although Didymus bases himself on
Philo, he does alter the conception of perfection. For Philo, to become perfect is
to become wise and to acquire the virtues of the cultured sage. In Didymus the
migration aims at the perfection of the Christian ascetic involved in spiritual
combat. The Christian exegete uses Philo’s material in ways that are appropriate
to his own circle. In addition to Philo, Didymus is also inspired by Jubilees and
Origen in his exegesis of Abraham. (ACG)
20468. J.Leonhardt-Balzer,‘Creation,theLogosandtheFoundation
of a City: a Few Comments on Opif. 15–25,’ in R. Deines and
K.-W. Niebuhr (edd.), Philo und das Neue Testament: Wechselseitige
Wahrnehmungen. 1. Internationales Symposium zum Corpus Judaeo-Hellenisticum
Novi Testamenti (Eisenach/Jena, Mai 2003), Wissenschaftliche
Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 172 (Tübingen 2004) 323–344.
ThearticlepresentstheresultsofaworkshoponPhilo’sexegesisof‘Dayone’of
creation in Opif. 15–25. After a brief introduction, the passage is divided into five
sections and a text, translation and commentary are presented. The translation
is systematically compared with those of Whitaker (LCL) and Runia (PACS).
The final part is devoted to interpretation. Philo’s use of the metaphor of the seal
and the imagery of the founding of a city give rise to a number of problems.
The passage in its entirety is unique in Philo’s œuvre. It is noted that §§ 21–23