Nabataean Kingdom Aretas IV and Shuqailat 9 BC-40 AD (Struck 16–19 AD) 15mm 2.10gm Petra (Jordan) mint

Nabataean Kingdom Aretas IV and Shuqailat 9 BC-40 AD (Struck 16–19 AD) 15mm 2.10gm Petra (Jordan) mint

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 upper right

Rev: Shuqailat standing left, veiled, wearing long chiton, right hand raised, wreath lower left, Nabataean inscription 'Shuqa/ila/t' in three lines on right

Ref: Meshorer Nabataean 97, Al-Qatanani 156t6, Barkay CN 187c, Huth 80, SNG ANS 6 1435

“time of Jesus' life on earth”

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.

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