Aretas, the Greek form of a name borne by kings of the Nabataeans resident at Petra in Arabia. Aretas I was a king in the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (2 Macc. 5:8). Aretas II ruled Nabatea from 120 or 110 to 96 BC. Aretas III ruled Nabatea from 87 to 62 BC. He supported Hyrcanus II against Aristobulus II, but was obliged to retreat by Pompey (64 BC), and in 62 BC paid a bribe of 300 talents to Marcus Aemilius Scaurus. Aretas IV Philopatris was the father-in-law of Herod Antipas (Josephus,… (More on Aretas)