Masinissa

Among the kings who reigned in Numidia was one who had taken sides with the Romans in the Second Punic War.

His name was Massinissa.

He became involved in some struggle for power with a neighboring monarch named Syphax, and while he, that is, Massinissa, had allied himself to the Romans, Syphax had joined the Carthaginians, each chieftain hoping by this means to gain assistance from his allies in conquering the other.

Massinissa's patrons proved to be the strongest, and at the end of the Second Punic War, when the conditions of peace were made, Massinissa's dominions were enlarged, and the undisturbed possession of them confirmed to him, the Carthaginians being bound by express stipulations not to molest him in any way.

In commonwealths like those in Rome and Carthage, there will always be two great parties struggling against each other for the possession of power.

Each wishes to avail itself of every opportunity to oppose and thwart the other, and they consequently almost always take different sides in all the great questions of public policy that arise.

There were two such parties at Rome, and they disagreed in respect to the course which should be pursued in regard to Carthage, one being generally in favor of peace, the other perpetually calling for war.

In the same manner, there was at Carthage a similar dissension, the one side in the contest being desirous to propitiate the Romans and avoid collisions with them, while the other party were very restless and uneasy under the pressure of the Roman power upon them, and were endeavoring continually to foment feelings of hostility against their ancient enemies, as if they wished that war should break out again.

But before I set forth how these things began, I will touch on a few points of earlier history, that my whole narrative may be clearer and more open to the view.

In the second Punic war, in which the Carthaginian general Hannibal inflicted the severest blow that the resources of Italy had received since the Roman power became supreme, Massinissa, king of the Numidians, was admitted to our friendship by Publius Scipio, whose merit subsequently gained him the title Africanus.

He achieved many brilliant military successes, and after the conquest of the Carthaginians and the capture of Suffix, whose rule was powerful in Africa and of wide extent, was rewarded by the Roman people with a gift of all the cities and lands which they had conquered.

Thus favoured Massinissa ever remained our loyal and honourable friend, and at last his authority and his life came to a common conclusion.

After Massinissa's death, his son Micipsa, whose brothers Mastanabal and Galusa had been removed by disease, succeeded to the throne.

He had two sons of his own, Adherbal and Himpsal, and also reared in the palace, on equal terms with his own children, Jugurtha, his brother Mastanabal's natural son, who, on account of his birth, had been left by Massinissa in a private position.

Powerful in frame and of handsome appearance, but especially remarkable for his mental ability, Jugurtha, on arriving at manhood, didn't abandon himself to the seductions of luxury and sloth, but took part in the national pursuits of riding and marksmanship, vied with his fellows in the race, and while surpassing all in glory, at the same time won every heart.

He passed much of his time in hunting, and was the first or among the first to wound the lion and other prey.

But before I set forth how these things began, I will touch on a few points of earlier history, that my whole narrative may be clearer and more open to the view.

In the second Punic war, in which the Carthaginian general Hannibal inflicted the severest blow that the resources of Italy had received since the Roman power became supreme, Massinissa, king of the Numidians, was admitted to our friendship by Publius Scipio, whose merit subsequently gained him the title Africanus.

He achieved many brilliant military successes, and after the conquest of the Carthaginians and the capture of Suffax, whose rule was powerful in Africa and of wide extent, was rewarded by the Roman people with a gift of all the cities and lands which they had conquered.

Thus favored Massinissa ever remained our loyal and honorable friend, and at last his authority and his life came to a common conclusion.

After Massinissa's death, his son Micipsa, whose brothers Mastanabal and Galusa had been removed by disease, succeeded to the throne.

He had two sons of his own, Adherbal and Hiempsal, and also reared in the palace, on equal terms with his own children, Jugurtha, his brother Mastanabal's natural son, who, on account of his birth, had been left by Massinissa in a private position.

Powerful in frame and of handsome appearance, but especially remarkable for his mental ability, Jugurtha, on arriving at manhood, didn't abandon himself to the seductions of luxury and sloth, but took part in the national pursuits of riding and marksmanship, vied with his fellows in the race, and while surpassing all in glory, at the same time won every heart.

He passed much of his time in hunting, and was the first, or among the first, to wound the lion and other prey; yet, while thus prominent in action, he was the last to talk about himself.

But he, it's vital, this, because I don't think he'd have gone without this assurance- Yeah ... to tell the truth.

So you've got two people, Syphax a- and Masinissa.

Now, Masinissa is fighting for the Carthaginians.

Mm-hmm.

Syphax is [laughs] fighting for the Romans, and they do a switch.

[laughs] Uh, so Syphax comes back and says, "Actually, it's my..." He, he's in charge in what is now Algeria, basically.

He comes back and says, "Well, actually, you know what? I think the Carthaginians are on the front foot.

I'll, I'll stay with them." Um, Masinissa, who, who actually was betrothed to his daughter at one stage, um, basically is thinking, "Well, what are my options here? Because he, he's a branch of the family that I don't get on with very much, um, and I'm not gonna control my territory here in the eastern part if Syphax is in charge." So Scipio essentially seduces his allegiance away- Mm ...