Aretas IV Philopatris

After he received news of the divorce, Aretas invaded the territory of Herod Antipas and defeated his army.

Being the most powerful neighbour of Judea, he frequently took part in the state affairs of that country and was influential in shaping the destiny of its rulers.

While not on particularly good terms with Rome, and though it was only after great hesitation that Augustus recognized him as king, he nevertheless took part in the expedition of Varus against the Jews in the year 4 BC, and placed a considerable army at the disposal of the Roman general.

Phasaelis fled to her father when she discovered her husband intended to divorce her in order to take a new wife, Herodias, mother of Salome.

[12] Herod Antipas then appealed to Emperor Tiberius, who dispatched the governor of Syria, Lucius Vitellius the Elder, to attack Aretas.

Vitellius gathered his legions and moved southward, stopping in Jerusalem for the passover of AD 37, when news of the emperor's death arrived.

[13] The Christian Apostle Paul mentions that he had to sneak out of Damascus in a basket through a window in the wall to escape the ethnarch of King Aretas (2 Corinthians 11:32, 33, cf Acts 9:23, 24).

Bronze coin of Aretas IV from 3 BC.
Coin showing Aretas IV in military dress.
Silver drachm of Aretas IV with his wife Huldu from 2 BC.
The Khazneh , at Petra, is believed to be Aretas IV's mausoleum .