In this article, we study some fundamental properties of nonlinear waves and the Riemann problem of Euler’s relativistic system when the constitutive equation for energy is that of Synge for a monatomic rarefied gas or its generalization for diatomic gas. These constitutive equations are the only ones compatible with the relativistic kinetic theory for massive particles in the whole range from the classical to the ultra-relativistic regime. They involve modified Bessel functions of the second kind and this makes Euler’s relativistic system rather complex. Based on delicate estimates of the Bessel functions, we prove: (i) a limit on the speed of sound of 1 / 3 times the speed of light (which a fortiori implies subluminality, that is causality), (ii) the genuine non-linearity of the acoustic waves, (iii) the compatibility of Rankine–Hugoniot relations with the second law of thermodynamics (entropy growth through all Lax shocks), and (iv) the unique resolvability of the initial value problem of Riemann (if we include the possibility of vacuum as in the non-relativistic context).