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Coins of ancient Arabia

Several small kingdoms that existed in what is now Syria, Jordan and the southern Arabian peninsula, bordering the Indian Ocean and Red Sea (modern Yemen).

Anonymous/Imitative of Augustus
AR 1/4 Unit
circa 30 BC - 50 AD
Mitchiner ACW 365, SGIC 5709
15 mm.
1.30 gm.
Die position=6h
Obverse: Diademed male head right, derived from that of Augustus; in wreath.
Reverse: Owl standing on amphora. Monograms in field. All within border of amphorae.

Unknown
AR Quinarius (?)
circa 50 AD (?)
Mitchiner ACW -, SGIC 5715v.
14 mm.
1.55 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Beardless male head right, hair hanging in ringlets; no visible border.
Reverse: Small male head similar to obverse, Himyarite legend around (?); monogram in field to right (?).
Note: The legend on the reverse looks very stylized.

'Amdan Bayyin
AR uinarius (?)
circa 50 - 150 AD
SNG ANS 1595ff / BMC Arabia pg.71, SGIC 5718
13 mm.
1.41 gm.
Die position=5h
Obverse: Beardless male head right, hair hanging in ringlets; monogram behind.
Reverse: Small male head similar to obverse, Himyarite legend around; monogram in field to right.

'Amdan Bayyin
AR uinarius (?)
circa 50 - 150 AD
SNG ANS 1595ff / BMC Arabia pg.71, SGIC 5718
14 mm.
1.35 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: Beardless male head right, hair hanging in ringlets; monogram behind.
RReverse: Small male head similar to obverse, Himyarite legend around; monogram in field to right.

Anonymous
AR 'Denarius' (?)
circa 50 BC - 150 AD (?)
SNG ANS 1531 type
18 mm.
2.79 gm.
Die position=8h
Obverse: Head left.
Reverse: Bucranium; monograms to either side.
NNote: Courtesy Patricia Lawrence collection.

Katabanians (?) Southwest Arabia

Anonymous/Imitative of Augustus (?)
AR Quinarius (?)
circa 50 AD (?)
Mitchiner ACW -, SGIC -, similar to de Morgan pg. 264, fig. 322
12 x 13 mm.
1.75 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bare-headed bust right (perhaps with the features of Augustus).
Reverse: Small male head similar to later Himyarite types, Himyarite legend around; monogram in field to left.

Minaeans (?) Group in northwest Yemen.

Anonymous
AR Obol
circa 200 BC
SGCv2 (?), Arnold-Biucchi 27 (?)
11 mm.
0.82 gm.
Die position=10h
Obverse: Beardless male head right (Alexander the Great/Herakles/Zeus-Ammon ?).
Reverse: Zeus enthroned left holding horse (?) and sceptre (?). Monogram under arm (?)

Anonymous
AR Obol
circa 200 BC
SGCv2 (?), Arnold-Biucchi 27 (?)
11 mm.
0.93 gm.
Die position=10h (?)
Obverse: Beardless male head right (Alexander the Great/Herakles/Zeus-Ammon ?). Very worn die.
RReverse: Zeus enthroned left holding eagle (?) and sceptre (?). Monogram under arm (?)

Northern Arabia Felix

Anonymous
AE Drachm (?)
circa 200 BC (?)
SGCv2 6131v. (?)
19 mm.
4.10 gm.
Die position=?h
Obverse: Crude (an understatement), stylized head of Athena, right (?).
RReverse: Weird 'bug-eyed' owl, facing. Trace of olive sprig to left. Greek legend (Θ Ε), to right.

Arabia Petraea/Nabataean Kingdom

Kingdom of southern Jordon, between the Sinai and Arabian peninsula; capital at Petra.

Aretas II (circa 110 - 96 BC)

Aretas II
AE 16
Meshorer 1A
15 x 16 mm.
3.92 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas II, Obodas I, Rabbel I, Aretas III (circa 90 - 62 BC)

Aretas III (84 - 71 BC)

Obodas II (62 - 60 BC)

Malichus I (60 - 30 BC)

Obodas III (30 - 9 BC)

Syllaeus (9 BC)

Aretas IV with Queen Huldu (9 BC - 18 AD)

Aretas IV with Queen Huldu
AE 13k 9/8 BC
Meshorer Sup 5
12 x 13 mm.
1.24 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV with Queen Huldu
AE 19
Struck circa 5/4 BC
Meshorer 60v.
19 x 20 mm.
4.11 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Diademed bust, right. Nabataean letters in field.
Reverse: Woman (Huldu (?)) standing left wearing long dress; right hand raised. Nabataean legend.

Aretas IV with Queen Huldu
AE 13
Struck 5/4 BC
Meshorer 61
13 mm.
1.74 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV with Queen Huldu
AE 14
Struck 4/3 BC
Meshorer 67
13 x 14 mm.
1.85 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV with Queen Huldu
AE 14
Struck 4/3 BC
Meshorer 68 (?)
13 x 14 mm.
2.27 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV with Queen Huldu
AE 13
Struck 4/3 BC
Meshorer 68 (?)
13 x 12 mm.
1.90 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV with Queen Huldu
AE 13
Struck 4/3 BC
Meshorer 70v.
13 mm.
1.92 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: Busts of king right.
RReverse: Two cornucopiae; between them, Monogram #4.

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat (18 - 40 AD)

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 16 Struck 18/19 AD
Meshorer 97 type
16 x 14 mm.
1.72 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 15
Struck 18/19 AD
Meshorer 97
15 mm.
1.84 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Aretas IV standing wearing sword and holding spear; palm branch in left field.
Reverse: Shuqailat standing with right arm raised; wreath in left field.

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 15
Struck 18/19 AD
Meshorer 97
15 mm.
1.99 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Aretas IV standing wearing sword and holding spear; palm branch in left field.
Reverse: Shuqailat standing with right arm raised; wreath in left field. Nabataean legend in three lines.
Note: Die clash? Struck with the reverse inscription across the bottom of the obverse.

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 15
Struck 18/19 AD
Meshorer 97
15 mm.
2.28 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Aretas IV standing wearing sword and holding spear; palm branch in left field.
Reverse: Shuqailat standing with right arm raised; wreath in left field.

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AR rachm
Struck 20/21 AD
Meshorer 99 type
15 mm.
3.68 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Busts of Aretas right; Aramaic legend.
Reverse: Busts of king and queen right. Aramaic legend.

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 18
Struck 39/40 AD
Meshorer 112 type
18 mm.
4.17 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 18
Struck 39/40 AD
Meshorer 112 type
18 x 17 mm.
4.38 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 19
Struck 39/40 AD
Meshorer 112 type
18 x 16 mm.
2.97 gm.
Die position=10h
Obverse: Busts of king and queen right.
Reverse: Two cornucopiae. Aramaic legend.

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 19
Struck 39/40 AD
Meshorer 113 type
18 mm.
4.35 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Busts of king and queen right.
Reverse: Two cornucopiae. Aramaic legend.

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 19
Struck 39/40 AD
Meshorer 114 (?) type
17 x 18 mm.
4.13 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Busts of king and queen right.
Reverse: Two cornucopiae. Aramaic legend.

Aretas IV with Queen Shuqailat
AE 12
Struck 39/40 AD
Meshorer 119
11 x 12 mm.
1.36 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Aretas IV (?)
AE 10
Meshorer - (?)
10 mm.
0.61 gm.
Die position=2h (?)
Obverse:
RReverse:

Malichus II (40 - 70 AD)

Rabbel II (70 - 106 AD)

Rabbel II with Queen Gamilat
AE 15Struck 102 AD (?)
Meshorer - (similar to 163); KS-K II - (similar to 87)
15 mm.
3.45 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Two busts, right.
Reverse: Two cornucopiae. Aramaic legend.
Note: The legend on the reverse of this odd coin corresponds to other late issues of Rabel, with the 'beth' running underneath the 'aleph,' including another unpublished bronze variety (like this one) with a single bust on the obverse. [Coin No. 87 in Nabataean Coinage II by K. Schmitt-Korte in the 1990 Numismatic Chronicle has the reverse legend within a wreath and not between two cornucopiae.] This could be a transitional issue from the period between Gamilat's death in 102 AD and Rabel's new wife, Hagru.