August 31

12 CE: Birthdate of Gaius Caligula, Roman Emperor.  Caligula was crowned in 37 and murdered in
41.  Life for Jews during his reign was
part of the downward spiral that would result in three rebellions by the Jews
over the next one …

August 29

1255: The body of
little boy who had disappeared was found in a well at Lincoln.  The boy would become known as Little Saint
Hugh of Lincoln (England) was the subject of an infamous ritual murder libel.
It was alleged that Jews enticed …

August 28

388: Magnus
Maximus, an Hispanic usurper to the throne of the western Roman Empire passed
away. During his disputed reign Maximus issued an edict of which censured
Christians at Rome for burning down a Jewish synagogue which was condemned by…

August 19

43 BCE:
Octavian. later known as Augustus compels the senate to elect him Consul. As
the first Emperor of Rome (in fact, if not in name) Augustus would follow the
policies of “moderation and accommodation” towards Judea begun by his uncle,
J…

August 18

1201:
Founding of Riga, capital of modern-day Latvia. The first Jews appeared in Riga
three centuries later and despite Czars, Nazis and Commissars continue to live
in the city to this day.

1227:
Genghis Khan dies.  According to Arthur…

August 2

338 BCE:  A Macedonian army
led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the
Battle of Chaeronea, securing Macedonian hegemony in Greece and the Aegean.
Phillip was the father of Alexander Great. 
His victor…

July 31

904: Thessaloniki, which is also known as
Salonica, is sacked and looted by Saracens (an Arab group).  The Jewish population of Thessaloniki dates
back at least to the first century of the Common Era.  By the time Benjamin of Tudela …