The relationship between Nabataean kingdom and Maccabees: A Historical Study

Abstract

The Nabataean Kingdom is one of the oldest northern states that migrated from the center of the Arabian Peninsula around 500 BC to the north, conquering the city of Petra and making it their capital. They dominated the surrounding region

and the Nabataeans became a powerful force whose influence extended from northern Hejaz to southern Levant. This influence contributed to their integration into relations between parts of the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula and other nations of the world. These historical ties date back to ancient times and have never been severed as a result of their contact with other peoples

due to several factors, including trade. The Nabataeans benefited from their country's excellent trading location, engaging in trade and amassing great wealth. This placed upon them the burden of resisting the ambitions of the major powers and neighboring states that sought to seize their land and exploit its strategic location And commercial factors to enhance its power and influence, and political factors led it to enter into relations with neighboring political powers, especially the Maccabean state, which emerged in Palestine following the Maccabean revolt against Seleucid rule. The history of these two states intertwined from the second century BC, as the Nabataean-Macabean relationship was characterized by its interactive nature between two neighboring states, sometimes cooperating and sometimes conflicting, and sometimes at peace and at other times at war. Their relationship fluctuated due to competition between them, political and commercial circumstances, and control over trade routes and ports Each expanded at the expense of the other. This research aims to study the Nabataean-Macacephalian relationship, the nature of interests between the two states, how their relationship developed during the reign of the Nabataean kings, the stance of some kings towards this relationship, and their role in preserving their kingdoms and limiting political and regional conflicts. The research is divided into three sections. The first section addresses the emergence of the Nabataean state and its historical and political development, including the establishment of the state and its political system. The second section examines the emergence of the Maccabean state. The third section explores Nabataean-Macacephalian relations and their development during the reign of the Nabataean kings. Relations between them were fluctuating, initially amicable, but deteriorating over time, leading to disputes and conflicts.