Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 1.pdf/411

363 Alexandria, E^ypt

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

363

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("liuulius, the successor of Caligula, soon after accession took pains to restore to them their old In this last decree, especial reference is made ri-ihts. In the rescripts and ordinances of the precediiijc emprrors, from which it may be seen that the Jews had equal rights with the other citizens of AlexFinally, even Vespaanilria ("Ant." xix. !i, j; 2). sian had occasion to interfere on belialf of the Jews, jietition of the Alexandrians when lie denied the to deprive them of their civil rights in the city ("Ant." xii. 3, g 1). The Jews not only enjoyed civil rights in Alexandria, hut in public life oeculiied a more intluential position than anywhere else There they did not form the in the ancient world. lower classes, as in many other towns; but by their

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that of a "captain of the police " ("Kev. 6t. Juives," xvii.UIJ")). Ptolemy VI., Phihjmetor, and his consort, Cleopatra, "entrusted their whole kingdom to Jews,

and the generals-in-chief of the army were the two Jews Onias anil Dositheus(" Contra Ap." ii. 5). Another Cleopatra, their daughter, in a war that she waged agaiust her sou Ptolemy Lathy rus, also ap-

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the eastern side of the Delta (" Notitia

Dignilatum Orientis." cluip. xxv.), and a loviuiuv arimrumAii' on the western side of the Delta ("Ant." xiv. 8. g 3; -B. J." i. 9, § 4; tornJews i)arc Schtlrer, "Gesch." 3d ed., iii. 9«). as Soldiers. In an inscription found al Athribis in

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ilAP SnowiNO Plan ok trk A.vcient Citt-Jkwisu Qiarter Shaded. richcM nnrl education constituted a large and influ(•iitial jiortion of society; possessinir the contldence of the ruling powers, they attained also to pililic olViiis anil postsof honor. Tlw conducl of the Ptolemiis towaril them certainly varied, but that of the lirsi niindiers of tlial dynasty was uniformly favoralile ("Conlra .p." ii. -i). In eonneelion with the allecri'd mndeni disinclination of the Jews to military service' in foreiiin countries, il is curious to notice that Ihey were often employed as .soldiers in Egypt, and evi'n attaineil to liiL'h military positions Ploli'iny 1.. Lat'i. is said to have distribnlcd liD.IMIO Jewish soldiers over the land lis L'arrisons (Pseudo .risteas. ed. Wendand. 11)00.

pointed two .Tews as genends in her army. TTelkins and .Vnanias, sonsof the hiirh |iriisl Onias, who built

Jewish camps have been found in severjil places in E.eypt. which were without doubt the barnnks of those Jewish troops; nivhtir(mtraJu(i»>-

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Ki.g the temple at I,eontopolis(" Ant." iii. 10. Under the Homans. riih Jews occasionally held the ollice of alabanh. as foreami>le .lexaniler. the brother of the philosopher Pliilo. and later a certiiin Denu'trius(see for .Mexander. ". t." xviii.O.S-': S, XX. T), S 2 Demetrius, i/i. xx. 7, Ji .S). xix. f). Ji 1 55 1 This ofllce must not be confounded with that of the .!





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Jewish elhnareh il was a <ivii' trust. and probably iileiilieal with the nr^iiKiirh. the chii'f lax colle<'lor on the Arabian or eastern shore of the Nili'

Jews as Public Otficiala.

(Schnrer. "C.escli." !t<l eil.. iii. K"* rl ollice could oidy bi' (llletl by one who rout rolled a largi' capital, but it also iirovided a •source fnim which great profit niiglit be dniwn.

Such an