their own Archontes or `rulers,' while the special direction of public worship was always
entrusted to the Archisynagogos, or `chief ruler of the Synagogue,' both titles occurring side by
side.18 It is, to say the least, very doubtful, whether the High-Priest at Leontopolis was ever
regarded as, in any real sense, the head of the Jewish community in Egypt.19 In Alexandria, the
Jews were under the rule of a Jewish Ethnarch,20 whose authority was similar to that of `the
Archon' of independent cities.21 But his authority22 was transferred, by Augustus, to the whole
`eldership.'23 Another, probably Roman, office, though for obvious reasons often filled by Jews,
was that of the Alabarch, or rather Arabarch, who was set over the Arab population.24 Among
others, Alexander, the brother of Philo, held this post. If we may judge of the position of the
wealthy Jewish families in Alexandria by that of this Alabarch, their influence must have been
very great. The firm of Alexander was probably as rich as the great Jewish banking and shipping
house of Saramalla in Antioch.25 Its chief was entrusted with the management of the affairs of
Antonia, the much respected sister-in-law of the Emperor Tiberius.26 It was a small thing for
such a man to lend King Agrippa, when his fortunes were very low, a sum of about 7,000l. with
which to resort to Italy,27 since he advanced it on the guarantee of Agrippa's wife, whom he
highly esteemed, and at the same time made provision that the money should not be all spent
before the Prince met the Emperor. Besides, he had his own plans in the matter. Two of his
sons married daughters of King Agrippa; while a third, at the price of apostasy, rose
successively to the posts of Procurator of Palestine, and finally of Governor of Egypt.28 The
Temple at Jerusalem bore evidence of the wealth and munificence of this Jewish millionaire. The
gold and silver with which the nine massive gates were covered, which led into the Temple,
were the gift of the great Alexandrian banker.
15. Strabo in Jos. Ant. xiv. 7, 2.
16. Could there have been any such meaning in laying the Roman cross which Jesus had to bear upon a
Cyrenian (St. Luke xxiii. 26)? A symbolical meaning it certainly has, as we remember that the last Jewish
rebellion (132-135 a.d.), which had Ba r Cochba for its Messiah, first broke out in Cyrene. What terrible
vengeance was taken on those who followed the false Christ, cannot here be told.
17. Jewish inscriptions have also been found in Mauritania and Algiers.
18. On a tombstone at Capua (Mommsen, Inscr. R. Neap. 3,657, apud Schürer, p 629). The subject is of
great importance as illustrating the rule of the Synagogue in the days of Christ. Another designation on
the gravestones πατηρ συναγωγης seems to refer solely to age - one being described as 110 years old.
19. Jost, Gesch. d. Judenth. i. p. 345.
20. Marquardt (Röm. Staatsverwalt. vol. i. p. 297). Note 5 suggests that εθνος may here mean classes,
ordo.
21. Strabo in Jos. Ant. xiv. 7. 2
22. The office itself would seem to have been continued. (Jos. Ant. xix. 5. 2.)
23. Philo, in Flacc. ed. Mangey, ii. 527
24. Comp. Wesseling, de Jud. Archont. pp. 63, &c., apud Schürer, pp. 627,628.