Antigonid–Nabataean confrontations

The Antigonid–Nabataean confrontations were three confrontations initiated by Greek general Antigonus I against the Arab Nabataeans in 312 BC. Following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, his empire was disputed between his generals, including Antigonus. who for a time controlled the Levant.

Reaching Edom, just north of Petra, Antigonus noticed the immense wealth of the Nabataeans, generated from the spice trade caravans. They became his next target. The three raids either came to nothing or ended in disaster for the Greeks.

Background
After Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC, his empire split among his generals. During the conflict between Alexander's generals, Antigonus I conquered the Levant and this brought him to the borders of Edom, just north of Petra. Antigonus noticed the immense wealth of the Nabataeans, a nomadic Arab tribe that lived in a barren desert. This occurrence is considered to be the start of Nabataean history, as there no record of them before 312 BC. The source is the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, who used commentary from one of the Greek generals involved in the confrontations.

The Nabataeans generated wealth from the trade route that passed through their capital, Petra. Frankincense, myrrh and other spices were transported in caravans from Eudaemon, across the Arabian peninsula, through Petra and into the Port of Gaza for shipment to European markets. The Nabataeans taxed the caravans and provided paid protection services. The wealthy Nabataeans became Antigonus's next target.

First confrontation
Antigonus appointed one of his officers, Athenaeus, to attack the Nabataean "barbarians" and take their herds as booty. Athenaeus marched with 4000 men and 600 horsemen into Petra, Nabataea's stronghold, during nighttime while the Nabataean men were away in a trade fair. Coming from Judea and after 3 travel days across 161 km, Athenaeus captured the place easily as only women and children were present, and the troops loaded themselves with as much frankincense and myrrh as their animals allowed and stole around 13.7 tonnes of silver.

Nabataean women and children found there were captured to be sold as slaves. Athenaeus and his troops regrouped as dawn broke and set off from where they came from, making camp around 36 km away, assuming they were safely away from the Nabataeans. Spotted by some nomads while they were leaving, an 8,000 Nabataean camel cavalry force, superior to horses in such a barren terrain, came in pursuit only hours later. A few prisoners escaped from the camp at night and managed to tip off the wandering Nabataean force on the whereabouts of the camp. They engaged the Greeks with javelins while they were asleep, and freed the families. Based on Hieronymus, Diodorus described how "all the 4000 foot-soldiers were slain, but of the 600 horsemen about fifty escaped, and of these the larger part were wounded".

The Nabataeans sent a letter of complaint in Aramaic, the lingua franca of the ancient Middle East, to Antigonus. The letter argued that the Nabataeans did not want war but were forced to attack the Greeks in self-defence. Antigonus furtively replied that Athenaeus had acted on his own and that Nabataeans were indeed excused.

Second confrontation
Despite what Antigonus had said to the Nabataeans, he then sent his son Demetrius with 4000 horsemen and 4000 infantry to march towards Nabataea. The force was lightly armed and was equipped with food provisions. However, the Nabataeans regarded Antigonus's previous letter with mistrust and had established outposts atop a mountain. After three days, the Greeks assembled for battle only to find the Arabs fully prepared. They had sent away their herds and massed what remained of their wealth atop a high mountain that was held by fighters who managed to repel a number of assaults.

By the next day, Demetrius, known to the Greek world as "the Besieger", became desperate and demanded political prisoners and precious gifts to be shown as tribute. He withdrew, going back to meet his father with disappointment. The former had reported the story differently to the public. Plutarch, a Greek historian, later wrote that "by Demetrius's cool and resolute leadership he so overawed the barbarians that he captured from them 700 camels and great quantities of booty and returned in safety".

Third confrontation


After Demetrius's unsuccessful engagement with the Nabataeans, he stayed by the Dead Sea to learn more about its bitumen industry. Residues of bitumen used to randomly float to the surface; inhabitants of the area, including the Nabataeans, would hasten in boats to collect the samples, which were a highly priced commodity in the ancient world. Demetrius reported to his father on this profitable industry and how it could be harnessed to support his imperialist ambitions. Antigonus sent an expedition led by Hieronymus to the Dead Sea. The Nabataeans, furious at another Greek incursion, killed most of the expedition with fire-arrows. In light of this defeat, Antigonus abandoned his plans, as he was occupied with several more important matters.

Aftermath
During the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC, the Antigonids lost to a Greek coalition that included the Seleucids. The series of wars between the Greek generals ended with the lands of modern-day Jordan being disputed between the Ptolemies based in Egypt and the Seleucids based in Syria. Much later, the Nabataeans again engaged with the Greeks, but with the terminally declining Seleucids this time. In the 84 BC Battle of Cana, the Nabataeans won a decisive victory over the Seleucids in which the Seleucid king Antiochus XII himself was slain.