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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Hellenistic Monarchies| ▸ |Nabataean Kingdom||View Options:  |  |  |   

Nabataean Kingdom

The early Nabataeans forsook all building and agriculture because those who possess these things, in order to retain them, are easily compelled by the powerful to do their bidding. Rather than fight invaders, they would go into the desert, where only they could survive, and wait for the invaders to leave. Aretas II was a contemporary of Alexander Jannaeus. Aretas III was the first to issue coins, which he began after he defeated the Seleucid army in 84 B.C. and the council of Damascus asked him to govern their city. A Roman army under Marcus Aemilius Scaurus defeated Aretas III and besieged Petra, but paying a tribute, Aretas received formal recognition by the Roman Republic. The kingdom was slowly surrounded by the expanding Roman Empire, who conquered Egypt and annexed Judea, but wealthy from incense trade, Nabataea paid tribute and retained independence. The Nabataeans fought against Herod and also provided forces to the Romans during the Second Jewish Revolt. After the last Nabataean king, Rabbel II, died in 106 A.D., Trajan incorporated Nabataea into the Roman province Arabia Petraea. One of the latest known Nabataean language inscriptions, from 191 A.D., records "...This in the year 85 of the Eparchy [Roman Rule], in which Arabs destroyed the land." It seems likely that raiding Arab tribes extinguished what remained of a weakened Nabataean culture. The_Treasury

Nabataean Kingdom, Syllaeus and Aretas IV, 9 B.C.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Syllaeus| |and| |Aretas| |IV,| |9| |B.C.||1/4| |drachm| |or| |denarius|
Aretas IV was probably the son of Obodas III, but this is not certain. Syllaeus was chief minister for Obodas III and initially shared rule with Aretas after Obodas death. But the rulers of Nabataea served under the authority of Rome and Rome, begrudging Syllaeus as an enemy, did not approve. In 24 B.C. Syllaeus had betrayed Rome causing the near complete massacre of a Roman army sent into Arabia Felix. Syllaeus was called to the court at Rome, where in 6 B.C. he was convicted of treason and Obodas' murder. He was beheaded and his body was pitched from the Tarpeian Rock.
SH12877. Silver 1/4 drachm or denarius, Barkay CN 76; Al-Qatanani 61, Meshorer Nabataean Sup. 4; Schmitt-Korte III pl. 10, Choice VF, weight 1.069 g, maximum diameter 12.0 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 9 B.C.; obverse diademed head of Obodas II, Syllaes' Nabataean letter shin behind; reverse S (shin = Syllaeus) and H (heth = Aretas) in wreath; very rare; SOLD


Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV and Huldu, 9 B.C. - 15 or 16 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Aretas| |IV| |and| |Huldu,| |9| |B.C.| |-| |15| |or| |16| |A.D.||drachm|
Possibly struck in the year of Christ's birth! Jesus was born sometime between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C. Matthew describes King Herod as the ruler during the time of the Nativity, and Herod died in 4 B.C. Later, in order to kill Jesus and eliminate him as a rival king, Herod ordered the "Massacre of the Innocents" - the killing of all male children in Bethlehem aged two years and under. This means that Jesus may have been up to two years old already by that time, and this also sets the Nativity between 6 and 4 B.C.
SH51930. Silver drachm, Al-Qatanani 82t1 (this coin); Schmitt-Korte II 57, Meshorer Nabataean 65 var. (numeral date), Cohen Dated 973 var. (same), VF, flat strike areas, weight 4.293 g, maximum diameter 16.6 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 4 - 3 B.C.; obverse Nabataean legend, "Aretas, king of the Nabataeans, lover of his people" (counterclockwise), laureate and draped bust of Aretas IV right, with long wavy hair combed behind his ears; reverse Nabataean legend, "Huldu, queen of the Nabataeans, year six" (year spelled out, counterclockwise), veiled bust of Huldu right, flanked by Nabataean O (ayin) right and H (heth) left across lower field; very rare with year six spelled out vice the Nabataean numeral; SOLD


Roman Republic, First Triumvirate, Marcus Aemilius Scaurus & Publius Plautius Hypsaeus, 58 B.C.

|99-50| |B.C.|, |Roman| |Republic,| |First| |Triumvirate,| |Marcus| |Aemilius| |Scaurus| |&| |Publius| |Plautius| |Hypsaeus,| |58| |B.C.||denarius|
M. Aemilius Scaurus, in 62 B.C., as quaestor to Pompey, was sent against King Aretas but withdrew when Aretas paid 300 talents. This was the first time a moneyer publicized his own career on coinage. Aemilius was curule aedile when this coin was struck. This was the first time a moneyer publicized an event from his own career on coinage. Later he was praetor and propraetor, lost a campaign for Consul, and successfully defended Cicero. In 52 B.C., he was charged with bribery and went into exile.
RR91807. Silver denarius, BMCRR Rome 3878 (also HYPSAEVE), Crawford 422/1b var., Sydenham 913 var., RSC I Aemilia 8 var., Russo RBW 1519 var., SRCV I 379 var., Choice gVF, deep old cabinet toning, well centered on the usual tight flan, weight 3.945 g, maximum diameter 17.8 mm, die axis 270o, Rome mint, 58 B.C.; obverse Aretas, King of Nabataea, kneeling beside camel, holding reins and raising olive branch with fillet, M·SCAVR over AED·CVR above, EX - S C at sides, REX ARETAS in exergue; reverse Jupiter in quadriga left, reins in right, hurling thunderbolt with left, scorpion below, P HYPSAEVE / AED CVR above, CAPTV on right, C HYPSAE COS / PREIVE in exergue; ex Savoca Numismatik auction 31 (10 March 2019), lot 392; SOLD


Nabataean Kingdom, Obodas II, 30 - 9 B.C.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Obodas| |II,| |30| |-| |9| |B.C.||drachm|
Obodas' reign was an era of cultural flowering for the Nabatean kingdom. Most of its temples were built during his reign, including the temple at Avdat. During his rule the Romans attempted to discover the sources of the perfume and spice trade.
SH43432. Silver drachm, cf. Huth 55; Hoover and Barkay 23; Meshorer Nabataea Sup. 3 (Obodas III); BMC Arabia p. 4, 2 - 3 (same); Cohen DCA 965 (same), gVF, flat strike areas, weight 4.462 g, maximum diameter 17.7 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 19 - 10 B.C.; obverse Jugate diademed busts of Obodas and Hagaru right; Nabataean letter heth behind; reverse Nabatean legend: "Obodas, king of Nabataea", laureate head of Obodas right, Nabataean letter heth and date behind (off flan); SOLD


Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV, 9 B.C. - 40 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Aretas| |IV,| |9| |B.C.| |-| |40| |A.D.||drachm|
Aretas IV Philopatris was the greatest Nabataean king, ruling S. Palestine, most of Trans-Jordan, N. Arabia, and Damascus. During his reign, large religious centers - also serving as banks and trade clearinghouses - were established on the Hauran, in Petra, and at Avdat. Aretas was married to Huldu when he became king. Her profile was featured on coins until 16 A.D. After a short gap, the face of his second wife, Shuqailat, appeared on the coins. Aretas's daughter married Herod Antipas, tetrarch of the Galilee. When Antipas took another wife, Herodias, Aretas's daughter returned to her father, who went to war against Antipas and defeated him. The episode led to the beheading of John the Baptist. Antipas appealed to Tiberius, who dispatched the governor of Syria to attack Aretas. Paul mentions Aretas in connection with his visit to Damascus when he had to to be lowered from the wall in a basket to escape. Al-Khazneh, the treasury, one of the most elaborate buildings in Petra, is believed to have been Aretas' mausoleum.
SH11741. Silver drachm, Al-Qatanani 100 (this coin); cf. Meshorer 96 (year 27) and 97 ("o" right on rev), Schmitt-Korte -, SNG ANS -, BMC Arabia -, gVF, weight 4.555 g, maximum diameter 15.0 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 19 - 20 A.D.; obverse Nabataean legend, "Aretas, king of the Nabataeans, the lover of his people", laureate and draped bust of Aretas right; reverse Nabataean legend, "Shuqailat, queen of the Nabataeans, year 28", veiled and draped bust of Shuqailat right; slightly flat reverse strike but better than usual for the Petra mint; extremely rare; SOLD


Roman Republic, First Triumvirate, Marcus Aemilius Scaurus & Publius Plautius Hypsaeus, 58 B.C.

|99-50| |B.C.|, |Roman| |Republic,| |First| |Triumvirate,| |Marcus| |Aemilius| |Scaurus| |&| |Publius| |Plautius| |Hypsaeus,| |58| |B.C.||denarius|
M. Aemilius Scaurus, in 62 B.C., as quaestor to Pompey, was sent against King Aretas but withdrew when Aretas paid 300 talents. Aemilius was curule aedile when this coin was struck. This was the first time a moneyer publicized an event from his own career on coinage. Later he was praetor and propraetor, lost a campaign for Consul, and successfully defended Cicero. In 52 B.C., he was charged with bribery and went into exile.
RR97640. Silver denarius, Crawford 422/1b, Sydenham 913, RSC I Aemilia 8, Russo RBW 1519, SRCV I 379, gVF, toned, centered on a tight flan cutting off parts of inscriptions and camel's head, weight 4.021 g, maximum diameter 16.9 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 58 B.C.; obverse Aretas, King of Nabataea, kneeling beside camel raising olive branch with fillet, M·SCAVR over AED·CVR above, EX - S C divided across field, REX ARETAS in exergue; reverse Jupiter in quadriga left, reins in right, hurling thunderbolt with left, scorpion below, P·HYPSAEVS over AED·CVR above, CAPT on right, C·HYPSAE·COS over PREIVE in exergue; SOLD


Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV and Huldu, 9 B.C. - 15 or 16 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Aretas| |IV| |and| |Huldu,| |9| |B.C.| |-| |15| |or| |16| |A.D.||drachm|
The date, at the end of the reverse legend, is off flan. We were unable to find a definite die match, but the style and epigraphy seem most similar to specimens from year 14. Until a definite die match is identified, the date will remain less than certain.
GS111367. Silver drachm, cf. Barkay CN 139 (year 14), Al-Qatanani 90 (year 14), Meshorer Nabataean 86 (year 14), Cohen dated 973, VF, toned, off center, edge crack, weight 4.346 g, maximum diameter 15.9 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 5 - 6 A.D.(?); obverse Nabataean legend, "Aretas, king of the Nabataeans, lover of his people" (counterclockwise), laureate and draped bust of Aretas IV right, with long wavy hair combed behind his ears, Nabataean heth below chin; reverse Nabataean legend, "Huldu, queen of the Nabataeans, year [...]" (year off flan, perhaps 14, counterclockwise), veiled bust of Huldu right, Nabataean heth below chin; SOLD


Nabataean Kingdom, Rabbel II and Shuqailat, c. 70 - 76 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Rabbel| |II| |and| |Shuqailat,| |c.| |70| |-| |76| |A.D.||drachm|
Shuqailat, Rabbel's mother, likely ruled as regent or co-ruler until her death in his probably in his 10th regnal year. Dated silver drachms were struck for the first six years of his rule. And it appears the bronze coins were struck in the following years. Rabbel, still a child when crowned, was called "Rabbel, king of the Nabataeans" during his first six years. Later he was titled "Rabbel the king, king of the Nabataeans." This may seem a slight change, but it was significant to the Nabataeans. He was later given the appellation, "who resuscitated and saved his people."
SH66369. Silver drachm, Al-Qatanani 240; Meshorer Nabataean 145; Cohen DCA 984, SNG ANS -, VF, weight 4.049 g, maximum diameter 13.5 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 73 - 74 A.D.; obverse Nabataean legend, "Rabbel, king of the Nabataeans, year four", laureate and draped bust of Rabbel II with long hair; reverse Nabataean legend, "Shuqailat, his mother, queen of the Nabataeans", laureate, draped and veiled bust of Shuqailat right; scarce; SOLD


Byzantine, Palestina III, Petraean Early Byzantine Oil Lamp, c. 325 - 520 A.D.

|Oil| |Lamps|, |Byzantine,| |Palestina| |III,| |Petraean| |Early| |Byzantine| |Oil| |Lamp,| |c.| |325| |-| |520| |A.D.|
Grawehr writes, "...firstly, lamps of this period were produced with great care and are well fired; they were of far better quality than their predecessors of the 3rd century A.D. Secondly, one single type - the Petraean-Early Byzantine lamp - is clearly dominating, and thirdly, this type is concentrated in a relatively small area east of the Wadi Arabah between Wadi Mujib and the Red Sea." He further notes that the quality attests to an upswing in the regional economy, but the distribution indicates increasing regionalism.
AL21909. Petraean-Early Byzantine Oil Lamp; Grawehr type L, 504 (very similar, Petra, Ez Zantur III, 325-520 A.D.); 8.7 cm long, 6.0 cm wide, Choice, intact, tiny chip in fill hole edge, small chip in shoulder (visible in photo), c. 325 - 520 A.D.; red clay, cream slip, mold-made, thin walled, piriform body, single rim around wick hole, double rim around large filling hole, very small knob handle, lines on nozzle radiating from wick hole the outer lines ending in a spiral, curved lines radiating from filling hole on shoulders, ring base, maker's mark VV on bottom below the handle; SOLD


Roman Republic, First Triumvirate, Marcus Aemilius Scaurus & Publius Plautius Hypsaeus, 58 B.C.

|99-50| |B.C.|, |Roman| |Republic,| |First| |Triumvirate,| |Marcus| |Aemilius| |Scaurus| |&| |Publius| |Plautius| |Hypsaeus,| |58| |B.C.||denarius|
M. Aemilius Scaurus, in 62 B.C., as quaestor to Pompey, was sent against King Aretas but withdrew when Aretas paid 300 talents. Aemilius was curule aedile when this coin was struck. This was the first time a moneyer publicized an event from his own career on coinage. Later he was praetor and propraetor, lost a campaign for Consul, and successfully defended Cicero. In 52 B.C., he was charged with bribery and went into exile.
RR97738. Silver denarius, Crawford 422/1b, Sydenham 913, RSC I Aemilia 8, Russo RBW 1519, SRCV I 379, gVF, attractive toning, tight flan, mild die wear, weight 3.779 g, maximum diameter 18.3 mm, die axis 0o, Rome mint, 58 B.C.; obverse Aretas, King of Nabataea, kneeling beside camel raising olive branch with fillet, M·SCAVR over AED·CVR above, EX - S C divided across field, REX ARETAS in exergue; reverse Jupiter in quadriga left, reins in right, hurling thunderbolt with left, scorpion below, P·HYPSAEVS over AED·CVR above, CAPT on right, C·HYPSAE·COS over PREIVE in exergue; ex Áureo & Calicó auction 352 (20 Oct 2020), lot 2046; SOLD




  




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REFERENCES

Al-Qatanani, Y. Nabataean Coins. (Jordan, 2020).
Barkay, R. "New Nabataean Coins" in INJ 16 (2007-8), pp. 92 - 99.
Barkay, R. "Seven new silver coins of Malichus I and Obodas III" in NC 166 (2006), pp. 99 - 103.
Barkay, R. "The Coinage of the Last Nabataean King, Rabbel II (AD 70/1-105/6)" in NC 174 (2014), pp. 29 - 44, pl. 6 - 7.
Barkay, R. The Coinage of the Nabataeans. Qedem 58. (Jerusalem, 2019).
Barkay, R. "The Coinage of the Nabataean King Malichus II (40–70 CE)" in INJ 18 (Jerusalem, 2014).
Barkay, R. "The Coinage of the Nabataean Usurper Syllaeus (c. 9–6 BC)" in NC 177 (2017), pp. 67 - 81, pl. 13 - 14.
Barkay, R. "The Earliest Nabataean Coinage" in NC 171 (2011), pp. 67 - 73, pl. 4 - 5.
Bowersock, G. Roman Arabia. (Cambridge, 1983).
Bowsher, J. "Early Nabataean Coinage" in ARAM 2:1-2 (1990), pp. 221 - 228.
Cohen, E. Dated Coins of Antiquity: A comprehensive catalogue of the coins and how their numbers came about. (Lancaster, PA, 2011).
Dussaud, R. "Numismatique de Rois de Nabatène" in Journal asiatique 3 (1904), pp. 189 - 238, & pl. 1.
Hill, G. A Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum - Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia. (London, 1922).
Hoover, O. "A Reassessment of Nabataean Lead Coinage in Light of New Discoveries" in NC 166 (2006), pp. 105 - 119, pl. 27 - 30.
Hoover, O. Handbook of Coins of the Southern Levant: Phoenicia, Southern Koile Syria (Including Judaea), and Arabia, Fifth to First Centuries BC. HGC 10. (Lancaster, PA, 2010).
Hoover, O. "More New Nabatean Lead Issues of Aretas IV" in INR 7 (2012), pp. 107 - 113, pl. 13.
Hoover, O. & R. Barkay. "Important Additions to the Corpus of Nabataean Coins since 1990" in Huth CCK. (New York, 2010), pp. 197 - 212, pl. 17 - 18.
Huth, M. Coinage of the Caravan Kingdoms, Ancient Arabian Coins from the Collection of Martin Huth. ACNAC 10. (New York, 2010).
Huth, M. & P. van Alfen. Coinage of the Caravan Kingdoms. Studies in the Monetization of Ancient Arabia. ANSNS 25. (New York, 2010).
Meshorer, Y. Nabatean Coins. Qedem 3. (Jerusalem, 1975).
Meshorer, Y., et al. Coins of the Holy Land: The Abraham and Marian Sofaer Collection at the American Numismatic Society and The Israel Museum. ACNAC 8. (New York, 2013).
Milik, J. & H. Seyrig. "Trésor monétaire de Murabba'at" in Revue Numismatique 1 (1958), pp. 11 - 22.
Plant, R. "The Coinage of the Nabataeans" in Seaby Coin and Medal Bulletin, March 1979, pp. 81-84.
Robinson, E. "Coins from Petra etc." in NC 1936, pp. 288 - 291, pl. XVII.
Schmitt-Korte, K. & M. Cowell. "Nabatean Coinage - Part I. The Silver Content Measured by X-ray Fluorescence Analysis" in NC 1989, pp. 33 - 58, pl. 11 - 17.
Schmitt-Korte, K. "Nabatean Coinage - Part II. New Coin Types and Variants" in NC 1990, pp. 105 - 133, pl. 10 - 15.
Schmitt-Korte, K. & M. Price. "Nabatean Coinage - Part III. The Nabatean Monetary System" in NC 1994, pp. 67 - 131, pl. 10 - 12.
Spikerman. A. The coins of the Decapolis and Provincial Arabia. (Jerusalem, 1978).
Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, The Collection of the American Numismatic Society, Part 6: Palestine - South Arabia. (New York, 1981).
Tal, O. "Coin denominations and weight standards in fourth-century BCE Palestine" in INR 2, pp. 24 - 28.

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