Nabataeans and the establishment of there state

Who are the Nabataeans, where they came from? What are there origins?

The origins of Nabataeans were an evocative subject among western scholars and specialists for many years. Historians thought the Nabataean civilization is a result of other nation's evolution that came from outside the Arabian Peninsula; whose civilization was Bedouin – pastoral or agricultural, particularly after revealing the unique characteristics of the architectural sophisticated carved monuments in Petra which demonstrated genius in carving and water harness system. Strabo the geographer, citing the philosopher Athenodorus, who visited Petra toward the beginning of the Christian era, described the metropolis of the Nabataeans as a great city with abundance of water, gardens, and some houses.

Some interpreters indicated that the Nabataeans came from the west coast of the Arabian Gulf; others said that they came from southern Mesopotamia because the Nabataeans name was mentioned among the Mesopotamian tribes especially by Muslim historians. Some historical texts indicated that Nabataeans have settled in an island in the Red Sea before being defeated by Egyptian fleet and chased away from it. Although many interpretations were forwarded however, all interpreters agree on the origins of Nabataeans being from the wide area of the Arabian Peninsula, but there opinions diverge in identifying the exact place of the island, whether from Hijaz, southern of al-Jawf, or southern of Arabian Peninsula? We would not know also when they occupied the area of the Rock (i.e. Petra).

But historians are definite of the fact that the Nabataeans came following the fall of the Edomites, former population of Petra, or after Naboniids' campaign the Assyrian leader in (552 BC), or following Kambizs' campaign (a Persian leader) in (525 BC).

It is probable, as many recent researchers presume that the Nabataeans are part of the Thamoodian tribes mentioned in the Holy Qoran, which were living in the Arabian Peninsula.

The inscriptions proved that Thamoodian tribes were widespread in the region, names of gods confirms this too. Nabataeans gradually replaced the Edomites who they benefited from, demographically and geographically their rule spread from ancient Taima, Madian and al-Hejer; and from Sinai to al-Naqab in Palestine. Other sources indicate that Nabtaeans were a blend of several tribes from Arabian Peninsula, and not one tribe. This is also reflected in the Nabataeans use of other languages as Aramaic and Greek as well as their own.

Aramaic was the language of commercial transactions, official and religious dealings, at the beginning of Hellenistic period Greek started to take over and replace Aramaic that in turn completely surrendered in favor of Greek language, then later in favor of Romanian language.

As a result we understand that Nabataeans were nucleus of different tribes that formed what became to be the nation of Nabataeans later. We also conclude that Nabataeans were several Arabian tribes that interacted together and shared values and traditions to form Nabataea. Clear evidence for Nabataean Arabian characteristics are:

• Diodorus Siculus the Greek historian who lived in the 1st century BC, Strabo the Greek geographer and Torah described them being Arabs.
• Their home of origin is Arabian Peninsula, in particular the territories of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Their kings names and most of their well known figures were Arabic: Obodas, Aretas, Malichus, Queen Shaqilat etc.
• Their gods and deities names were common and used in the Arabian Peninsula.
• It is established that the origins of Arabic writing and letters were based on Nabataean writing. They wrote on scrolls made of leather and papyrus, materials that have long since disintegrated.