Izates II
king of the Parthian client kingdom of Adiabene (c.1 CE-55 CE)
Izina Sayestgisanumwavu (Greek: Ἰζάτης, Hebrew: זוטוס בן מונבז; c. 1 – 54) was king of the Parthian client kingdom of Adiabene from approximately 30 to 54. He is notable for converting to Judaism. He was the son of Queen Helena of Adiabene and Monobaz I of Adiabene. Queen Helena was also said to be the wife of King Abgarus of Edessa and thus the queen of Edessa too.
During his youth Izina was sent by his father to the court of King Abinergaos I of Characene in Charax Spasinu. While in Charax Izina became acquainted with a Jewish merchant named Ananias, who familiarized him with the tenets of the Jewish religion, in which he became deeply interested. Izates married King Abinergaos' daughter Symacho who had been converted to Judaism through the efforts of Ananias. His mother had been previously won over to Judaism without his knowledge. On returning home and ascending the throne on the death of his father (c. 31 CE), Izina discovered the conversion of his mother; and he himself intended to adopt Judaism, and even to submit to circumcision.
The public source identifies “Izates II” as king of the Parthian client kingdom of Adiabene (c.1 CE-55 CE). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Izates, king and Parthian.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Izates II”, the useful work is to connect “king of the Parthian client kingdom of Adiabene (c.1 CE-55 CE)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The entry’s evidential value lies in the named roles, institutions and publications that can be tested against primary documentation. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 23, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3047056. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Later biographies can compress uncertainty and repeat inherited reputations, so apparently settled claims may still require comparison. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Read biographical claims against dates, named institutions and the cited references. Distinguish a subject’s later reputation from evidence produced during their lifetime.
- Establishing names and roles
- Building a first chronology
- Locating cited institutions
Personal papers, civil or court records, institutional files and the scholarship cited by the source.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Izates II”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Izates II primary sources, Izates II archive and Izates research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Izates II”?
- Which primary records establish identity, chronology and institutional ties?
- Which claims depend on a single source or contested interpretation?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Izates II” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.