Adiabene

From BiblePortal Wikipedia

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [1]

ā - di - a - bē´nē̇ ( Ἀδιαβηνή , Adiabēnḗ ): A state lying on the east of the Tigris, on the greater and lesser rivers Zab, in the territory of ancient Assyria. For the half-century terminating with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, Adiabene is especially interesting by reason of the careers of its king, Izates, and his mother Helena, who became Jews. They had their part in the Jewish-Roman wars, and in various ways were typical of the existing situation. (See Ant , XX, 2-5; BJ , II, xvi, 4; xix. 2; V, iv, 2; vi. 1; xi. 5; VI, vi, 4.) Somewhat later Adiabene was absorbed into the Roman Empire and became one of the six provinces which formed the larger province of Assyria, though Pliny and Ammianus sometimes call the large province by the name Adiabene.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [2]

( Ἀδιαβηνή , sc. Χώρα , probably from the river Zab or Diab), the principal of the six provinces into which Assyria was divided. Pliny (Hist. Nat. 5, 12) and Ammianus (23, 6, § 20) comprehend the whole of Assyria under this name, which, however, properly denoted only the province which was watered by the rivers Diab and Adiab, or the Great and Little Zab (Dhab), which flow into the Tigris below Nineveh (Mosul), from the north-east. The queen of this region, Helena, and her son Izates, who became converts to Judaism, are very often named by Josephus (Ant. 20: 2, 4; War, 2: 16, 19; 5: 4, 6, 11).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature [3]

Adiabe´ne, the principal of the six provinces into which Assyria was divided. Pliny and Ammianus comprehend the whole of Assyria under this name, which, however, properly denoted only the province which was watered by the rivers Diab and Adiab, or the Great and Little Zab (Dhab), which flow into the Tigris below Nineveh (Mosul), from the north-east. This region is not mentioned in Scripture; but in Josephus, its queen Helena and her son Izates, who became converts to Judaism, are very often named (Josephus, Antiq. xx. 2, 4; Bell. Jud. ii. 16, 4; ii. 19, 2; v. 4, 2; v. 11, 5).

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