Biblical Kingdom Ruler
Aretas I
American Colony (Jerusalem) Photo Department; G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection; Library of Congress; LC-DIG-matpc-03097
Public Domain / No known restrictions on publication
Ruler at a Glance
Kingdom
Nabataea
Ruler Type
King of Nabataea
Reign
Attested around 168 BC; full reign unknown
Regnal Name
Aretas
Alternate Names
Haretat I
Capital
Petra
Origin
Nabataea
Identification Certainty
Attested; reign boundaries unknown
Overview
Aretas I is the earliest securely named Nabataean king in surviving historical accounts.
Biography
Aretas I appears in the second century BC, when the Nabataeans controlled important caravan routes east and south of Judea. The account of Jason in 2 Maccabees 5:8 places a ruler named Aretas in the political world of the Maccabean era. The evidence does not establish the beginning or end of his reign. The early Nabataean kingdom was developing its political power while the Seleucid monarchy struggled to maintain control of the region.
Historical Significance
Earliest named Nabataean monarch; evidence of organized kingship during the Maccabean period.
Major Events
Aretas is mentioned in connection with the flight of Jason in 2 Maccabees 5:8.
Biblical Significance
Directly named in 2 Maccabees, which is deuterocanonical in some Christian traditions.
Scripture References
2 Maccabees 5:8
Primary Sources
2 Maccabees 5:8; historical context of the Maccabean revolt