"Abgar VIII of Edessa, also known as Abgar the Great[a] or Abgar bar Ma'nu, was an Arab[b] king of Osroene from 177-212 CE.[c]
Abgar the Great was most remembered for his alleged conversion to Christianity in about 200 CE and the declaration of Christianity as the official religion of the city at that time.
It has been suggested that a cross shown on the tiara of Abgar VIII in coins he minted have Christian meaning.
Osrhoene was a client state of the Roman Empire in this era, Prior to Abgar VIII, in 165 CE, the Roman military had reinstated Abgar VII, and they continued to have a significant presence in the region. However, Abgar VIII's behavior indicates that he was not wholly loyal to Rome nor was closely monitored by Rome. While Abgar VIII's coins bear the image of the Roman Emperor Commodus, Abgar's goals were to maintain a degree of independence and to extend his influence geographically as much as possible without disturbing the greater powers of Rome and Parthia." - (en.wikipedia.org 21.05.2022)
en
