What events did Philo Judaeus describe in On the Embassy to Gaius?

In his treatise On the Embassy to Gaius, the Jewish philosopher Philo Judaeus provides an account of the unsuccessful diplomatic mission he led to the Roman emperor Caligula around 39 or 40 CE.12

The work serves as a critique of Caligula’s hostility toward the Jewish community in Alexandria. Philo describes the following key elements:2

• The Embassy's Purpose: Philo headed a delegation to request that the emperor reassert the rights of Alexandrian Jews, which had been granted by the Ptolemies and confirmed by the emperor Augustus.1
• Context of Conflict: The mission followed a violent pogrom against the Jews in Alexandria.1
• The Emperor's Hostility: The text details Caligula’s antagonism toward the Jews, including his demand that a statue of himself be erected in the Temple in Jerusalem, an act that caused significant religious distress.23
• The Confrontation: Philo recounts his attempt to defend the Jewish community against charges of disloyalty brought by the anti-Semitic Greek grammarian Apion, only to be cut short by the Emperor.1