Royal converts from Adiabene and the archaeology of Jerusalem

doi:10.14628/GFA_021_2018_A02

Royal converts from Adiabene and the archaeology of Jerusalem

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Royal converts from Adiabene and the archaeology of Jerusalem

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Bibliographic description

punktacja MNiSW [2018 C]: 10

title:	Royal converts from Adiabene and the archaeology of Jerusalem
author:	Marciak Michał
journal title:	Göttinger Forum für Altertumswissenschaft
volume:	21
date of publication :	2018
pages:	29-58
ISSN:	1437-9074
DOI:	10.14628/GFA_021_2018_A02
URL:	https://gfa.gbv.de/dr,gfa,021,2018,a,02.pdf
date accessed:	2019-02-21
language:	English
journal language:	German
abstract in English:	This paper reviews the identifications of the physical remains of the Adiabenean royalty in first-century CE Jerusalem in the light of the latest archaeological research and scholarly discussion. Several conclusions are drawn. First, it is concluded that despite admirably succeeding in changing the past perception of the archaeological landscape of the Lower City of David, the excavations in the Givati Parking Lot still lack any tangible data that could allow for a convincing identification of the recently unearthed structure as the palace of Queen Helena. Second, it is argued that Le Tombeau des Rois matches the general geographical, topographical, and architectural requirements for Helena’s Monuments gleaned from ancient sources, but the most tangible argument is the finding of the unusual two-line inscription on sarcophagus no. 5029, which, if any geographical attribution of the epigraphical evidence could be allowed, is suggestive of both Northern Mesopotamia (Seleucid Aramaic script) and Jewish Palestine (Aramaic “square”/Jewish [formal] script). This, in turn, perfectly matches the historical-geographical heritage of the royal converts from Adiabene. At the same time, there is strong negative evidence for the identification of sarcophagus no. 5029 as that of Queen Helena. The sarcophagus likely belonged to a young female member of the Adiabenean royalty settled in Jerusalem before 66 CE, and most probably to one of the wives of Izates II or Monobazos II.
keywords in English:	Adiabene, Jerusalem, Queen Helena, Judea
number of pulisher's sheets:	2,1
affiliation:	Wydział Historyczny : Instytut Judaistyki
type:	journal article
subtype:	academic paper