ABOUT THE NABATAEAN MINISTER SYLLAEUS FROM NEW SILVER COINS

Abstract

This research aims to review what we know about the Nabataean official Syllaeus and
the date of his death. Only two early sources that speak of his existence and activities,
Strabo and Flavius Josephus, of whom only Strabo was contemporary with him. This ar-
ticle sets out those primary sources and their context, which allows some deductions and
much speculation in the scholarly literature that is not supported by the evidence. This
study includes the publication of two previously unpublished coins in the Jordan Na-
tional Bank, from the collection of Naif Al-Qsus, of Syllaeus. This paper concludes that
the Romans and king Aretas IV were both interested in his execution in Rome.