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Æ17 - Malichus II and Shaquilath
| Issuer | Nabataean Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 40-70 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Jugate busts of Malichus II and Queen Shaquilath facing right, both laureate and draped, rendered in the schematic Nabataean artistic style typical of the period. The effigies are struck in relatively low relief on an irregularly shaped flan, with Malichus placed in front of Shaquilath. Aramaic legends surround the royal portraits in the field. The overall execution reflects the characteristic stylized portraiture of Nabataean coinage of the mid-first century CE. |
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| Reverse description | Two cornucopias crossed and filleted, their horns curving outward symmetrically, serving as the principal device. An Aramaic legend is disposed in two lines above the cornucopias and one line below, naming the royal couple. The design follows the standard Nabataean reverse type employed under Malichus II, struck on an irregular bronze flan with characteristic flat, schematic engraving. |
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| Additional information |
Malichus II ruled the Nabataean Kingdom through one of its most diplomatically precarious stretches, navigating Roman pressure while maintaining Petra's position as the dominant entrepôt of Arabian trade. His queen Shaquilath II appears on coinage as co-ruler — a practice with genuine Nabataean precedent, not merely ceremonial inclusion. The joint issue reflects an actual power-sharing arrangement documented in period sources.
The reign ended with Rabbel II, after whom Rome annexed the kingdom outright in 106 AD under Trajan.