39

The year 39 AD.

Events

• King Agrippa I of Iudaea, is recalled to Rome.
• Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenized Jewish philosopher who interpreted Jewish Scriptures through the lens of Stoic philosophy, leads a Jewish delegation to Rome to protest the anti-Jewish conditions in Alexandria.
• Roman emperor Caligula orders that a statue of himself be placed in the temple in Jerusalem. A similar order in Alexandria the previous year had led to riots. The governor of Syria, Publius Petronius, who is responsible for erecting the statue, faces mass demonstrations by Jews of the region and manages to delay construction of the statue until the death of Caligula on January 24, 41.

The Roman Emperors were considered to be gods, and thus their statues served as idols. This, of course, was considered blasphemous to Judaism and Christianity alike. Emperors Augustus and his successor Tiberius tolerated Judaism and other ancient religions in the Eastern empire; however, Caligula was less respectful.

Births

• December 30. Titus Flavius, Roman emperor from 79 to 80