Joan Taylor, David M. Hay, Philo of Alexandria “On the contemplative life”: introduction, translation, and commentary. Philo of Alexandria commentary series, volume 7. Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2020. Pp. xxviii, 427. ISBN 9789004438149 €155,00.

Philo’s De vita depicts, among other, things, a group of esoteric Jewphilosophers living a very extraordinary lifestyle far away from the madding crowd. Essenes, Dead Sea Scrolls, Pythagoreans, and many other groups have been evoked in interpreting this extraordinary document. The new Brill translation and commentary is reviewed by Pieter van der Horst at BMRC.