Aretas IV Philopatris
Aretas IV Philopatris (Nabataean Aramaic: 𐢗𐢓𐢆 𐢊𐢛𐢞𐢞 𐢛𐢊𐢒 Ḥārītaṯ Rāḥem-ʿammeh "Aretas, friend of his people"[1]) was the King of the Nabataeans from roughly 9 BC to 40 AD.
His 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.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the : Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Aretas IV". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
