Bible Dictionary
ARATHES
Arathes, or Ariarathes, was king of Cappadocia during the second century BC. He was displaced by Demetrius Soter, later regained power, and received a Roman letter supporting the Jews.
Definition
Arathes, or Ariarathes, was a king of Cappadocia who ruled from 163 to 130 BC. He was educated in Rome, allied with the Romans, temporarily displaced by Demetrius Soter, and later restored to sole rule.
Biblical Usage
In 1 Maccabees, the Romans wrote to Arathes and other eastern kings on behalf of the Jews after an embassy sent by Simon Maccabeus.
Historical Background
Arathes fled to Rome after Demetrius drove him from his kingdom and regained power through Roman assistance. The supplied chronology identifies the recipient of the Roman letter as Ariarathes I.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>a-ra'-thez (the King James Version Araiarthes; Arathes; Ariarathes): King of Cappadocia, 163-130 BC. Educated in Rome, he imbibed Roman ideas and became a faithful ally of the Romans, in conformity with whose wishes he declined a proposal of marriage with the sister of Demetrius Soter. The latter declared war, drove Arathes from his kingdom and set up Holophernes in his stead. He fled to Rome about 158, and through the good offices of the Romans succeeded in obtaining for himself a participation in the government of Cappadocia. Later he again became sole king. In 139 BC, as a result of an embassy sent by Simon Maccabeus, the Romans wrote letters to Arathes (1 Macc 15:22) and other eastern kings in behalf of the Jews. (See Diodor. XXXI, 19, 28, 32; Justin, XXXV, 1; Polyb. III, 5; XXXII, 20-30; XXXIII, 12).</p><p>J. E. Harry</p>