Background
He was the son of Queen Helena of Adiabene the wife of King Monobazus I of Adiabene.
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Izates bar Monobaz
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Queen Helena was also said to be the wife of King Abgarus of Edessa and thus the queen of Edessa too. Moses of Chorene confirms that this Helena was also the queen of Adiabene when he says:
"The chief of King Abgar’s wives, who was named Helena. Helena went away to Jerusalem in the time of Claudius, during the famine which Agabus had predicted.
Spending all her treasures she bought an immense amount of grain in Egypt, which she distributed to the poor, to which Josephus bears witness.
Her famous mausoleum stands before the gate at Jerusalem to this very day.:
During his youth Izates was sent by his father to the court of King Abinergaos I of Characene in Charax Spasinu. While in Charax Izates became acquainted with a Jewish merchant named Ananias, who familiarized him with the tenets of the Jewish religion, in which he became deeply interested.
He was, however, dissuaded from this step both by his teacher Ananias and by his mother, but was ultimately persuaded thereto by another Jew, Eleazar. Foreign some time Izates enjoyed peace.
And he was so highly respected that he was chosen as arbitrator between the Parthian king Artabanus III and his rebellious nobles (c 39 Civil Engineering).
Izates defeated his enemy, who in despair committed suicide. The nobles then conspired with Vologases, King of Parthia, but the latter was at the last moment prevented from carrying out his plans, and Izates continued to reign undisturbed for a total of twenty-four years. Izates died around 55 Civil Engineering. His mother Helena survived him for only a short time.
