Jugurtha
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Jugurtha, (c. 160 – 104 BC) Berber King of Numidia.
The people of Numidia were semi-nomadic, indistinguishable from the other Berbers in North Africa until the reign of Masinissa, who became a Roman ally in 206 BC, with a kingdom roughly equivalent to modern northern Algeria. His son Micipsa succeeded him in 148 BC. Jugurtha, Masinissa's illegitimate grandson, was very popular among the Numidians — so popular that Micipsa sent him away to Spain, but there Jugurtha made influential Roman contacts.
He served at the siege of Numantia alongside Marius and it was here that he learned of Rome's weakness for bribes. He famously described Rome as "urbem venalem et mature perituram, si emptorem invenerit," meaning "a city for sale and doomed to quick destruction, if it should ever find a buyer."
When Micipsa died in 118, the kingdom of Numidia was ruled by Micipsa's two sons Hiempsal and Adherbal. Hiempsal and Jugurtha quarrelled immediately after the death of Micipsa. Jugurtha had Hiempsal killed, which lead to open war with Adherbal. After Jugurtha defeated him in open battle, Adherbal fled to Rome for help. The Roman officials, alledgedly due to bribes but more likely because of a desire to quickly end conflict in their client kingdom of Numidia, settled the fight by dividing Numidia into two parts. Jugurtha was assigned the western half. (Later Roman proganda claimed that this half was also richer, but in truth it was both less populated and developed.)
By 112 Jugurtha resumed his war with Adherbal. He incurred the wrath of Rome, in the process, by killing some Italian businessmen who were aiding Adherbal. After a brief war with Rome, Jugurtha surrendered and received a highly favorable peace treaty. G. Memmius, a Roman tribune, however, claimed the treaty was corrupt and became to prosecute on bribery charges the Roman commander in Numidia who was a political rival of Memmius. Jugurtha was summoned to Rome to testify against the Roman commander. There, after Jugurtha arranged to have a rival to the kingship killed, he lost all support.
War broke out between Numidia and the Roman Republic and several legions were dispatched to North Africa under the command of the Consul Caecilius Metellus. The war dragged out into a long and seemingly endless campaign as the Romans tried to decisively defeat Jugurtha. Frustrated at the apparent lack of action, Metellus' lieutenant Marius returned to Rome to seek election as Consul. After being successfully elected, Marius returned to Numidia and took over command of the army, bringing in drastic new reforms to the Roman Army. Marius dispatched his Quaestor Lucius Cornelius Sulla to neighbouring Mauretania to eliminate their support for Jugurtha. With the help of Bocchus I of Mauretania, Sulla was able to capture Jugurtha and bring the war to a conclusive end. Jugurtha was brought to Rome in chains and was placed in the Tullianum.
Jugurtha was executed by the Romans in 104 BC, after being showcased in Marius' triumph.
Reference
Sallust. De Bello Iugurthino.
See also
fr:Jugurtha it:Giugurta he:יוגורתה pl:Jugurta fi:Jugurtha sv:Jugurtha