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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Greek Imperial| ▸ |Decapolis, Arabia & Syria||View Options:  |  |  |   

Roman Provincial Coins from the Decapolis, Syria and Arabia

The Decapolis means "the ten cities" in Greek, yet we don't really know how many cities there were, or where they were. In 106 A.D., under the Roman emperor Trajan, the Nabataean Kingdom and the cities of the Decapolis were incorporated into the newly established Provinces of Syria and Arabia.

Click here to read "The Decapolis of Jordan" by Rami G. Khouri

Nabataean Kingdom, Malichus I, c. 60 - 30 B.C.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Malichus| |I,| |c.| |60| |-| |30| |B.C.||AE| |17|
Although he ruled for 39 years, Malichus only minted coins in three years near the end of his reign, his years 26 - 28. The date on this coin is obscure and there is some disagreement about the date of his accession to the throne. This coin was struck sometime between 35 and 31 B.C.
GB111366. Bronze AE 17, cf. Meshorer Nabataea 17 - 19; HGC 10 685; Cohen DCA 960 (scarce); Al-Qatanani 24, 25, or 29; Barkay CN 11, 14, or 19, F, brown tone, highlighting enhanced red earthen deposits, obv. edge beveled, weight 3.270 g, maximum diameter 17.2 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, 35 - 31 B.C.; obverse diademed head right; reverse Aramaic legend: Melko the king, king of the Nabataeans, open hand with palm facing, Aramaic regnal year (obscure, 26, 27, or 28) across central field; scarce; $250.00 SALE PRICE $225.00
 


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; $250.00 SALE PRICE $225.00
 


Augustus, 16 January 27 B.C. - 19 August 14 A.D., Uncertain Mint, Anatolia or Syria

|Roman| |Asia|, |Augustus,| |16| |January| |27| |B.C.| |-| |19| |August| |14| |A.D.,| |Uncertain| |Mint,| |Anatolia| |or| |Syria||AE| |27|
The mint, the quaestor who struck this type, and even the identity of the person in the portrait remain uncertain. The type has previously been attributed to Macedonia and the portrait identified as Brutus (Friedlander) or Caesar (Grant). David Sear notes the type has never been found in Macedonia. Finds point to Syria or Anatolia. It is possible that the type was issued, with his own portrait, by Sosius, a general under Marc Antony who was quaestor in 39 B.C. Much more likely, however, the portrait is of Augustus.
RP111713. Bronze AE 27, RPC I 5409; Sear CRI 957 (Syria); AMNG III 226, pl. III 6, F, dark green patina, weight 18.142 g, maximum diameter 27.4 mm, die axis 0o, uncertain Anatolian or Syrian mint, c. 39 B.C.(?); obverse bare head right; reverse hasta (spear), sella quaestoria (quaestor's seat of office), and fiscus (imperial treasury), Q (quaestor) below; previously a rare type but recent finds have made it easier to acquire; $225.00 SALE PRICE $203.00
 


Nabataean Kingdom, Aretas IV and Phasael, 5 - 4 B.C.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Aretas| |IV| |and| |Phasael,| |5| |-| |4| |B.C.||AE| |14|
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. The normal issue of this type has the monograms of Aretas (heth) and his son, Phasael, (peh sade).
GB110807. Bronze AE 14, Meshorer Nabataean 63A var. (monograms); Barkay CN 117 var. (same); Al-Qatanani 185t9 var. (same); Schmitte-Korte 1990 49 var. (same, VF, attractive dark green patina with reddish earthen highlighting, light scratches, weight 1.898 g, maximum diameter 14.3 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, c. 5 - 4 B.C.; obverse laureate head right; reverse two parallel cornucopias, tops left, tided with ribbon, palm frond on right; $180.00 SALE PRICE $162.00
 


Nabataean Kingdom, Rabbel II and Gamilath, c. 80 - 102 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Rabbel| |II| |and| |Gamilath,| |c.| |80| |-| |102| |A.D.||drachm|
Rabbel II was the last Nabataean king. A child when he became king, his mother, Shuqailat, ruled in the early years. He was given the title, "He who gives life and salvation to his people," perhaps for subjugating Arab tribes. Upon his death, Trajan annexed the kingdom. On 22 March 106, Nabataea was incorporated into the new province of Arabia Petraea, with Bosra as its capital. The date on this coin is off flan, but the style matches coins struck from 88 - 92 A.D.
GS111369. Billon drachm, cf. Al-Qatanani 239 - 240 (yrs. 20 - 21); Meshorer Nabataean 153 (yr. 21); Barkay CN 232 - 233 (yrs. 20 - 21); BMC Arabia p. 12, 1 (date off flan), VF, light tone, tight flan, obv. flatly struck, die wear, weight 2.843 g, maximum diameter 14.6 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, c. 89 - 91 A.D.(?); obverse Nabataean legend, "Rabbel the king, of the Nabataeans, year 20 or 21(?)" (date partially off flan), laureate and draped bust of Aretas IV with long hair right; reverse Nabataean legend, "Gamilath, his sister, queen of the Nabataeans", veiled bust of Gamilath right; $180.00 SALE PRICE $162.00
 


Nabataean Kingdom, Rabbel II and Gamilath, c. 80 - 102 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Rabbel| |II| |and| |Gamilath,| |c.| |80| |-| |102| |A.D.||drachm|
Rabbel II was the last Nabataean king. A child when he became king, his mother, Shuqailat, ruled in the early years. He was given the title, "He who gives life and salvation to his people," perhaps for subjugating Arab tribes. Upon his death, Trajan annexed the kingdom. On 22 March 106, Nabataea was incorporated into the new province of Arabia Petraea, with Bosra as its capital. The date on this coin is off flan, but the style matches coins struck from 88 - 92 A.D.
GS110743. Billon drachm, cf. Al-Qatanani 238 - 240 (yrs. 20 - 21); Meshorer Nabataean 153 (yr. 21); Barkay CN 231 - 233 (yrs. 19 - 21); BMC Arabia p. 12, 1 (date off flan), VF, toned, tight flan cutting off most of legends, weight 3.316 g, maximum diameter 14.3 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, c. 88 - 91 A.D.; obverse Nabataean legend, "Rabbel the king, of the Nabataeans, year [19 - 21?]" (date off flan), laureate and draped bust of Aretas IV with long hair right; reverse Nabataean legend, "Gamilath, his sister, queen of the Nabataeans", veiled bust of Gamilath right; $170.00 SALE PRICE $153.00
 


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

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Aretas| |IV,| |9| |B.C.| |-| |40| |A.D.||AE| |15|
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.
GB110802. Bronze AE 15, Al-Qatanani 156, Barkay CN 187d, Huth 80, Meshorer Nabataean 97, SNG ANS 6 1435, gVF, dark green patina, highlighting buff earthen highlighting, flan adjustment marks, casting sprue remnant, weight 2.182 g, maximum diameter 14.9 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, c. 18 - 19 A.D.; obverse 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, Aramaic monogram (H) upper right; reverse Shuqailat standing left, veiled, wearing long chiton, right hand raised, wreath left, Aramaic legend "Shuqa/ila/t" in three lines on right; $140.00 SALE PRICE $126.00
 


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

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Aretas| |IV,| |9| |B.C.| |-| |40| |A.D.,| |Barbaric| |Imitative||AE| |14|
Aretas IV was the greatest Nabataean king, ruling S. Palestine, most of Trans-Jordan, N. Arabia, and Damascus. Al-Khazneh,one of the most elaborate temples in Petra, is believed to have been the mausoleum of Aretas IV. Paul mentions Aretas in connection with his visit to Damascus (2 Corinthians 11:32). Al-Khazneh, one of the most elaborate temples in Petra, is believed to have been the mausoleum of Aretas IV.
GB94966. Bronze AE 14, Al-Qatanani 141t6 (die match, barbaric style), Meshorer Nabataean 68A; cf. Huth 77 (official style), Barkay CN 150c (same), Schmitt-Korte 38 (same), VF, dark patina, highlighting earthen deposits, obv. off center, reverse edge beveled, small edge split, weight 1.482 g, maximum diameter 14.1 mm, die axis 0o, unofficial mint, c. 2 - 24; obverse laureate head of Aretas right; reverse two crossed and filleted cornucopias, Nabataean het ros monogram (Aretas) between the horns; from the Ray Nouri Collection; extremely rare; $135.00 SALE PRICE $122.00
 


Nabataean Kingdom, Rabbel II and Gamilath, c. 80 - 102 A.D.

|Nabataean| |Kingdom|, |Nabataean| |Kingdom,| |Rabbel| |II| |and| |Gamilath,| |c.| |80| |-| |102| |A.D.||drachm|
Rabbel II was the last Nabataean king. A child when he became king, his mother, Shuqailat, ruled in the early years. He was given the title, "He who gives life and salvation to his people," perhaps for subjugating Arab tribes. Upon his death, Trajan annexed the kingdom. On 22 March 106, Nabataea was incorporated into the new province of Arabia Petraea, with Bosra as its capital. The date on this coin is off flan, but the style matches coins struck from 88 - 92 A.D.
GS110752. Billon drachm, cf. Al-Qatanani 238 - 240 (yrs. 20 - 21); Meshorer Nabataean 153 (yr. 21); Barkay CN 231 - 233 (yrs. 19 - 21); BMC Arabia p. 12, 1 (date off flan), VF, toned, tight flan cutting off much of legends, weight 3.584 g, maximum diameter 13.5 mm, die axis 0o, Petra (Jordan) mint, c. 88 - 91 A.D.; obverse Nabataean legend, "Rabbel the king, of the Nabataeans, year [19 - 21?]" (date off flan), laureate and draped bust of Aretas IV with long hair right; reverse Nabataean legend, "Gamilath, his sister, queen of the Nabataeans", veiled bust of Gamilath right; $135.00 SALE PRICE $122.00
 


Hadrian, 11 August 117 - 10 July 138 A.D., Struck at Rome for Use in Syria

|Roman| |Syria|, |Hadrian,| |11| |August| |117| |-| |10| |July| |138| |A.D.,| |Struck| |at| |Rome| |for| |Use| |in| |Syria||semis|
In 125 A.D., the Pantheon was constructed in Rome as it stands today.
RY99386. Orichalcum semis, RIC II-3 760, McAlee 552(a), BMCRE III 1356, Strack II 626, RPC Online III 3765, SNG Hunterian 2947, gVF, earthen filled fields, slightly off center on a tight flan cutting off part of legends, weight 5.069 g, maximum diameter 19.4 mm, die axis 180o, Rome mint, 124 - 125 A.D.; obverse HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate and draped bust right, seen from behind; reverse COS III, Roma seated left on cuirass, right foot drawn back (no helmet), Victory bearing wreath and palm frond in right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand, round shield behind cuirass, S C (senatus consulto) in exergue; $130.00 SALE PRICE $117.00
 




  



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