Editing Philo (section)

=== Family ===
Although the names of his parents are unknown, it is known that Philo came from a family which was noble, honourable and wealthy. It was either his father or paternal grandfather who was granted [[Roman citizenship]] from Roman dictator Gaius [[Julius Caesar]]. [[Jerome]] wrote that Philo came ''de genere sacerdotum'' (from a priestly family).<ref>[[Jerome]], ''[[De Viris Illustribus (Jerome)|De Viris Illustribus]]'' ([http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/books/hieronym/viris_l.htm#Caput%20XI e-text]), Caput XI ([[wikisource:Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume III/Lives of Illustrious Men/Jerome/Philo Judaeus|English translation]]).</ref><ref name=Schwartz>Daniel R. Schwartz, "Philo, His Family, and His Times", in Kamesar (2009).</ref> His ancestors and family had social ties and connections to the priesthood in [[Judea]], the [[Hasmonean dynasty]], the [[Herodian dynasty]] and the [[Julio-Claudian dynasty]] in [[Rome]].

Philo had one brother, Alexander Lysimachus, who was the general tax administrator of customs in [[Alexandria]]. He accumulated an immense amount of wealth, becoming not only the richest man in that city but also in the entire Hellenistic world. Alexander was so rich that he gave a loan to the wife of [[Herod Agrippa|king Herod Agrippa]], as well as gold and silver to overlay the nine gates of the [[Second Temple#Herod's Temple|temple in Jerusalem]]. Due to his extreme wealth, Alexander was also influential in imperial Roman circles as a friend of emperor Claudius.<ref>{{cite web |title=Philo Judaeus |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Philo-Judaeus |website=www.britannica.com |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> Through Alexander, Philo had two nephews, [[Tiberius Julius Alexander]] and [[Marcus Julius Alexander]]. The latter was the first husband of the Herodian princess [[Berenice (daughter of Herod Agrippa)|Berenice]]. Marcus died in 43 or 44. Some scholars identify Alexander Lysimachus as the Alexander referenced in the [[Acts of the Apostles|Book of Acts]], who presided over the [[Sanhedrin]] trial of [[John the Apostle|John]] and [[Saint Peter|Peter]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ellicott |first=Charles John |title=A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, vol. 2 |publisher=Cassell and Co. |year=1897 |isbn=9781360285283 |location=London |pages=21}}</ref>