Isidoros, representing the Alexandrian Greeks, stated about the Jews in front of the emperor Claudius: “I accuse
them of trying to stir up the entire world.” Claudius was much better disposed toward Jews than Caligula, who
had challenged Jewish separatism by ordering that his statue be erected in Jerusalem’s Temple, but had died
before his order could be executed. For having insinuated that Claudius’s court was filled with Jews, Isidoros
was condemned to death.
Nevertheless, the edict issued by Claudius after the arbitration hearing concluded that, if Jews continued to sow
dissent and “to agitate for more privileges than they formerly possessed, […] I will by all means take vengeance
on them as fomenters of what is a general plague infecting the whole world.” This edict was followed by another
addressed to all the Jewish communities of the empire, asking them not to “behave with contempt towards the
gods of other peoples.” Finally, after more outbreaks of violence between Greeks and Jews, the Romans
turned against the Jews, and, from 115 to 117, the Greeks themselves joined with their Roman conquerors in the
violent repression that stamped out the Jewish community of Alexandria, of which no more is heard
Isidoros, representing the Alexandrian Greeks, stated about the Jews in front of the emperor Claudius: “I accuse
them of trying to stir up the entire world.” Claudius was much better disposed toward Jews than Caligula, who
had challenged Jewish separatism by ordering that his statue be erected in Jerusalem’s Temple, but had died
before his order could be executed. For having insinuated that Claudius’s court was filled with Jews, Isidoros
was condemned to death.
Nevertheless, the edict issued by Claudius after the arbitration hearing concluded that, if Jews continued to sow
dissent and “to agitate for more privileges than they formerly possessed, […] I will by all means take vengeance
on them as fomenters of what is a general plague infecting the whole world.” This edict was followed by another
addressed to all the Jewish communities of the empire, asking them not to “behave with contempt towards the
gods of other peoples.” Finally, after more outbreaks of violence between Greeks and Jews, the Romans
turned against the Jews, and, from 115 to 117, the Greeks themselves joined with their Roman conquerors in the
violent repression that stamped out the Jewish community of Alexandria, of which no more is heard
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