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Drachm - Obodas III
| Issuer | Nabataean Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 21 BC - 20 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Drachm (1) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Laureate and bearded head of a male deity — most likely Zeus-Hadad or Dushara — facing right, the hair rendered in stylized wavy locks with incised striations characteristic of Nabataean die-cutting. A dotted border encircles the field. The portrait is executed in the Hellenistic tradition adopted by Nabataean mint engravers, with bold, slightly abstracted facial features. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Diademed and draped bust of King Obodas III facing right, wearing a thin diadem binding the hair, with strands falling behind the neck in the Hellenistic royal portrait convention. A Nabataean inscription in two lines flanks the effigy, identifying the king. The design is enclosed within a beaded border, the overall style reflecting the blend of Hellenistic portraiture and local Nabataean artistic conventions characteristic of the late 1st century BC royal coinage. |
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| Additional information |
Obodas III ruled the Nabataean Kingdom in name while his vizier Syllaeus held effective power — a political arrangement that generated enough tension to reach Augustus himself, who ultimately sided against Syllaeus after a disastrous Arabian campaign in 25–24 BC that Syllaeus had deliberately sabotaged. Coins of Obodas III are consequently rare; his reign lasted only from around 30 to 9 BC, and the political instability surrounding his court likely disrupted regular mint output.
He died under circumstances suspicious enough that Syllaeus was accused of poisoning him.