Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV and Shuqailat, 9 B.C. - 40 A.D. (Struck 18-19 AD)

Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV and Shuqailat, 9 B.C. - 40 A.D. (Struck 18-19 AD)

AE 15.3mm 2.37gm Drachm, Petra (Jordan) mint, Minted Time Of Jesus

Obv: Aretas standing facing, looking left, laureate, wearing military dress, scarf and high boots, spear in right hand, left on pommel of sword in scabbard, palm frond left, Nabataean heth-resh monogram (Aretas) upper right;

Rev: Shuqailat standing left, veiled, wearing long chiton, right hand raised, wreath left, Nabataean inscription 'Shuqa/ila/t' in three lines on right; from the time of Jesus' life on earth!

Ref: Al-Qatanani 156t1, Barkay CN 187a, Huth 80, Meshorer Nabataean 97, SNG ANS 6 1435

***Aretas IV was the greatest Nabataean king, ruling S. Palestine, most of Trans-Jordan, N. Arabia, and Damascus. He took the name Philopatris, lover of his people. Aretas married Shuqailat, his second wife, in 16 A.D. Aretas' daughter Phasaelis was married to, and divorced from, Herod Antipas. Herod then married his stepbrother's wife, Herodias. It was opposition to this marriage that led to the beheading of John the Baptist. After he received news of the divorce, Aretas invaded the territory of Herod Antipas and defeated his army. Paul mentions Aretas in connection with his visit to Damascus, when he had to sneak out of the city in a basket lowered from a window in the wall to escape (2 Corinthians 11:32). Al-Khazneh, one of the most elaborate buildings in Petra, is believed to have been his mausoleum

The Beheading of John the Baptist – According to the Christian Gospels, Phasaelis, was the daughter of King Aretas IV, who was rejected by Herod in favor of his brother’s ex-wife. It was the daughter of this new wife who asked Herod for the head of John the Baptist, a request he reluctantly met. The Jewish writer Josephus, states that Aretas, insulted by Herod’s treatment of his daughter invaded Israel and defeated Herod. He also adds that the Herod’s Jewish subjects believed the defeat by Aretas to be a divine judgment on Herod for this beheading of John the Baptist.***

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