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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.