Biblical Kingdom Ruler
Rabbel II Soter
Yale University Art Gallery; Yale Digital Dura-Europos Archive; accession 1938.6000.2091
CC0 1.0 / Public Domain
Ruler at a Glance
Kingdom
Nabataea
Ruler Type
King of Nabataea
Reign
Approximately AD 70/71–106
Regnal Name
Rabbel II
Alternate Names
Rabbel II; Rabel II Soter
Capital
Petra
Origin
Nabataea
Identification Certainty
Well attested; accession year approximate
Overview
Rabbel II was the last established king of independent Nabataea before Roman annexation in AD 106.
Biography
Rabbel II ruled during the later first and early second centuries AD. His reign is documented by Nabataean inscriptions and coinage, including evidence for women of the royal household. The kingdom continued to maintain settlements and trading networks centered on Petra and other communities. After his reign, the Roman emperor Trajan annexed Nabataea in AD 106 and organized the province of Arabia. The exact political circumstances of annexation are not fully known.
Historical Significance
Last established Nabataean monarch; his reign ends with incorporation into the Roman Empire.
Major Events
Continued Nabataean royal rule; Roman annexation in AD 106.
Biblical Significance
Illustrates the political transformation of the region in the decades after the New Testament period.
Primary Sources
Nabataean inscriptions and coinage; Roman accounts of Trajan’s annexation