A noted Jewish philosopher whose writings proved highly influential both in his own days and on the Christian theological 'school' of Alexandria, esp. with Ambrose, Clement and Origen
Very little is known about Philo's early life except that he was born in Alexandria to a wealthy Jewish family and became a recognized and acclaimed spokesman of Hellenistic Judaism. When anti-Jewish hostilities broke out in the city, he was appointed by the Jewish community to lead a delegation to present their accusations against Flaccus, the prefect of Egypt, to Emperor Gaius-Caligula in Rome (39-40 AD). The proceedings of the delegation were recorded in Philo's Legatio ad Gaium (Embassy to Gaius) and Contra Flaccum (Against Flaccus).
Intellectually he was concerned to represent Judaism to the Hellenistic world, adopting the terms of Platonic philosophy and allegorical interpretation of the OT for the purpose, combining the abstract conceptions of the philosophers' Supreme Being with the concrete features of Jewish Yahweh. His philosophy also stresses the spirit (pneuma) over the body, as well as the concept of the divine 'Word' (Logos) as the vehicle of God's activity.
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