Bible Dictionary
ADIABENE
Adiabene was a region east of the Tigris in ancient Assyria. Its rulers Izates and Helena became associated with Judaism during the period before Jerusalem’s destruction.
Definition
Adiabene was a state east of the Tigris, situated on the greater and lesser Zab in the territory of ancient Assyria.
Biblical Usage
Adiabene is associated with the careers of its king Izates and his mother Helena, who became Jews and took part in the Jewish-Roman wars before Jerusalem’s destruction.
Historical Background
Later Adiabene was absorbed into the Roman Empire and became one of six provinces forming the larger province of Assyria, although some writers used Adiabene for that larger province.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>a-di-a-be'-ne (Adiabene): 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.</p><p>Willis J. Beecher</p>