ARETAS, the Greek form of a name borne by kings of the Nabataeans resident at Petra in Arabia (Arab, Haritha). (1) A king in the time of Antiochus IV. Epiphanes (II. Macc. v. 8). (2) The father-in-law of Herod Antipas (Jos. Ant. xviii. 5. I, 3). In II. Cor. xi. 32 he is described as ruler of Damascus (q.v.) at the time of Paul's conversion. Herod Antipas had married a daughter of Aretas, but afterwards discarded her in favour of Herodias. This led to a war with Aretas in which Antipas was defeated.
An Aretas is mentioned in I. Macc. xv. 22, but the true reading is probably Ariarathes (king of Cappadocia) . (See NABATAEANS.)