It never ceases to amaze me how seemingly odd but interesting facts come across my desk as part of God Save the King.
Nikolaos of Damascus was a Hellenized Jew, born in Damascus in 64 BCE. In 39 BCE he became tutor to Antony and Cleopatra’s children. After their defeat by Octavian at Actium in 30 BCE, Nikolaos became the court historian, companion, and confidant of Herod the Great. He was also Herod’s personal ambassador/correspondent to Augustus Caesar. When visiting Augustus, Nikolaos would always bring or send a gift of Judaean dates. Augustus was so impressed by the quality of the dates that he named them Nicolai dates. Augustus’ opinion of the dates (as the most powerful man in the world) popularized the delicacy into one of the most important Judaean imports throughout the Mediterranean.