Abgar V of Edessa

Abgar V of Edessa
Ruler of the kingdom of Osroene
Icon of Abgar holding the mandylion, the image of Christ (encaustic, 10th century, Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai).
Died	c. 40
Spouse	Helena of Adiabene

Abgar V the Black or Abgarus V of Edessa (Syriac: ܐܒܓܪ ܚܡܝܫܝܐ ܐܘܟܡܐ‎; ʾAḇgar Ḥəmīšāyā ʾUkkāmā, Armenian: Աբգար Ե Եդեսացի; Abgar Hingerord Yedesatsi, Ancient Greek: Ἄβγαρος Abgaros) (BC 4 – AD 7 and AD 13–c. 40) was a historical ruler of the kingdom of Osroene, holding his capital at Edessa.

Moses of Khoren says that the chief wife of King Abgar V was Queen Helena of Adiabene, the wife of King Monobazus I of Adiabene, and thus the kingdoms of Edessa and Adiabene were linked in some manner. Professor Robert Eisenman suggests that Queen Helena was the sister-wife of King Abgar V who was given the lands of Adiabene by her brother-husband, the king. Professor Eisenman derived this association from Moses of Chorene mentioning the same famine relief to Judaea as does Flavius Josephus:

The conflation of King Abgarus V and King Monobaz I would mean that the sons of Abgarus V were Monobazus II and Izates bar Monobaz. Professor Eisenman goes on to equate King Abgarus V with the Agabus in Acts of the Apostles (Acts 11:27-30), because Agabus was identified with the same famine relief as Queen Helena. By necessity Eisenman then equates the biblical Antioch Orontes with Antioch Edessa, indicating that Saul-Paul and Barnabas went to Edessa.

Abgar V is reported to be one of the first Christian kings in history, having been converted to the faith by Thaddeus of Edessa, one of the Seventy-two Disciples.