Caligula - An Unexpected General by Lee Fratantuono

Author:Lee Fratantuono [Lee Fratantuono]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter Seven

The Evidence of Philo’s In Flaccum

The De Legatione ad Gaium that we have just examined closely is generally considered to be rather unhelpful in terms of providing a clearer portrait of Caligula than that which is found in, say, the works of Suetonius, Dio Cassius and Tacitus. It offers a testimony, however, to the impact of Caligula on a representative of a foreign people, a Hellenized Jew from Alexandria who was learned in both philosophy and history, a great scholar and luminary of his day. At the very least, we catch a glimpse of Caligula from the pen of someone who had actually met him and known fear in his presence.

Besides the De Legatione, there is another work of Philo of significance for our examination of the princeps Caligula: the treatise against (Aulus Avillius) Flaccus.¹ Scholars cannot determine exactly what the relationship is between this work and the De Legatione, though it seems that we have pieces of a composite work, some of which is either missing or was never composed. We do well to note that despite the voluminous remains of Philo’s work, there are a number of significant unknown details in his life, not least fixed dates – in fact only the famous embassy to Gaius provides a reasonable chronological marker, and even that is of imprecise timing (AD 39-40 is the generally cited time frame).²

We owe much of what we know about Philo to the fourth-century ecclesiastical historian Eusebius, who provides a convenient catalogue of what he knew to be the works of the Alexandrian Jewish scholar.³ Eusebius notes that in addition to a large number of texts that he cites by title, there were single works, including one on the Jews – but it is not entirely certain to which works of Philo Eusebius’ reference should be applied.⁴

Eusebius records that Philo came to Rome in the time of Caligula – this would be the embassy – and that during the reign of Claudius, he recited before the Senate an account of the misdeeds of Caligula.⁵ Philo’s work was so highly regarded that he was accorded a place in the libraries of Rome.

It is possible then (if not plausible) that there was originally a three-part work, of which the first part is entirely missing (this would have focused on the mistreatment of the Jews under Sejanus, inter alia). The second part is the present work under consideration, the In Flaccum that bridges, if one will, the period between Tiberius and Caligula – and then there is the De Legatione.⁶ The In Flaccum is of less relevance to the study of Caligula than the account of the legation – but it does preserve some interesting references to the emperor.

Aulus Avillius Flaccus was appointed prefect in Egypt by Tiberius. Philo records that he was in office for five years under Tiberius, and one under Caligula.⁷ Philo details at some length how competent and indeed laudable Flaccus’ administration of Egypt was, especially in the first years of his prefecture.

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