Osroene (also spelled Osrohene, Osrhoene, from the Greek Όσροηνῆ; Syriac: ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܥܣܪܐ ܥܝܢܐ Malkuṯā d-Bēt ʿŌsrā ʿĪnē), also known by the name of its capital city, Edessa (modern Şanlıurfa, Turkey), was a historic kingdom located on the present-day border of Syria and Turkey. The kingdom was Assyrian and enjoyed semi-autonomy to complete independence from the years of 132 BCE to 244 AD.It was a Syriac speaking kingdom, and according to an ancient legend King Abgar V of Edessa was converted to Christianity by Thaddeus of Edessa, or Saint Addai, one of the Seventy-two Disciples. By 201 AD or earlier, under King Abgar the Great, Osroene became the first Christian state. view more...