Roger Uselton Collection of Ancient and Biblical Coins
Coin Detail
- Uselton Catalog #: 4
- Class: Biblical
- Ruling Authority: Aretas IV (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.)
- Type: AE14 (bronze)
- Size: 14 x 16 mm.
- Weight: 2.78 g.
- Die Axis: 180掳
- Obverse: Laureate head right in circle.
- Reverse: Two parallel cornucopiae paired right, palm frond left; possible monogram?
- Exergue: N/A
- References: Meshorer 61a.
- Original #: 30
Likely struck at Petra. Most of these Nabatean coins feature crossed cornucopiae on the reverse; these 鈥減arallel鈥� cornucopiae seem to constitute a scarcer type.
Aretas: 鈥淭he father-in-law of Herod Antipas, and king of Arabia Petraea. His daughter returned to him on the occasion of her husband鈥檚 entering into an adulterous alliance with Herodias, the wife of Herod-Philip, his half-brother (Luke 3:19, 20; Mark 6:17; Matthew 14:3). This led to a war between Aretas and Herod Antipas. Herod鈥檚 army was wholly destroyed (A.D. 36). Aretas, taking advantage of the complications of the times on account of the death of the Emperor Tiberius (A.D. 37), took possession of Damascus (2 Corinthians 11:32; Comp. Acts 9:25). At this time Paul returned to Damascus from Arabia.鈥� Easton鈥檚 Bible Dictionary.
2 Cor. 11:32: 鈥淚n Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me [Paul].鈥�