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Jugurtha

Chapter · October 2012

DOI: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah20147

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Jugurtha
ALEX NICE
Jugurtha (ca. 160–104 BCE), the grandson of
MASINISSA and son of Mastanabal, was a king
of NUMIDIA, who waged a war against Rome
documented in SALLUST’s Bellum Iugurthinum.
After Mastanabal’s death, Jugurtha was
adopted by his uncle, Micipsa, who reigned
from 148 BCE. Jugurtha is said to have been an
excellent athlete and warrior, with outstanding
personal qualities (Sall. Iug. 6). In the 130s,
Jugurtha served with distinction under SCIPIO
AEMILIANUS at NUMANTIA and forged important
political connections with other Roman nobles
(App. Hisp. 89; Sall. Iug. 8–9).
Micipsa died in 118 and bequeathed his king-
dom to Jugurtha and his sons, Adherbal and
Hiempsal. They were unwilling to accept
Jugurtha’s authority, although power belonged
to the oldest surviving agnate (Ilevbare 1977/8:
45–9). Jugurtha murdered Hiempsal (Sall.
Iug. 11.3–4) and defeated Adherbal, who fled
to Rome (Sall. Iug. 13.2). A Roman commis-
sion partitioned Numidia, granting Jugurtha
the west, and Adherbal the east. More conflict
ensued and Adherbal fled to Cirta, an impor-
tant trading center, under the protection of
Roman citizens (togati: Sall. Iug. 21.2). The
Romans sent a junior delegation to request
a truce. When it left, Jugurtha besieged
Cirta. The Romans dispatched a more august
delegation, led by M. Aemilius Scaurus. In
response, Jugurtha redoubled his efforts to
take Cirta. After its surrender, Jugurtha exe-
cuted Adherbal and all the men who had taken
up arms, including foreigners.
Jugurtha now found himself at war with
Rome. He negotiated a truce with L. Calpurnius
Bestia (consul 111) and humiliated the army of
Spurius Postumius Albinus (consul 110), by
forcing them to march under the yoke. At
Rome the people pressed for the prosecution
of those nobles who had accepted Jugurtha’s
bribes. Jugurtha, summoned to Rome to testify
against Bestia, is said to have remarked: “There
The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition. Edited by Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine,
and Sabine R. Huebner, print pages 3648–3649.
© 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Published 2013 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
DOI: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah20147
1
Figure 1 Jugurtha, king of Numidia (160–104
BCE). © Giraudon/The Bridgeman Art Library.
is a city for sale, and doomed to perish if she
finds a buyer” (Sall. Iug. 35).
The Romans appointed the energetic and
incorruptible Quintus Caecilius Metellus (see
CAECILII METELLI) (Sall. Iug. 45). Jugurtha now
faced a more resolute enemy. Metellus attacked
major cities, attempting to cut Jugurtha’s sup-
ply lines and the sources of revenue necessary
to pay his troops. In the meantime, Jugurtha
survived an assassination attempt and sought
to bolster his position through marriage to the
daughter of king Bocchus of MAURETANIA.
Despite Metellus’ successes, however,
Jugurtha remained at large. In 107, assisted by
the equestrian classes and the people, com-
mand passed to the new consul, Gaius MARIUS.
During the following two years, Jugurtha was
unable to prevent the loss of several cities,
including Capsa and Cirta. In 105, Jugurtha
was betrayed by Bocchus, who delivered him
to Marius’ legate, SULLA. After appearing in
Marius’s triumph, disgraced and insane, Jugur-
tha died of hunger in the Tullianum (Plut.
Mar. 12.2). He was survived by a son Oxyntas
(App. BCiv. 1.42).
Sallust uses Jugurtha to highlight the lust
of the Roman nobles for wealth and power.
In the final analysis, it seems that he was
a loyal client king, protecting his own position
2
against ambitious rivals, who fell victim to
Roman factional politics and imperialist senti-
ment (Ilevbare 1977/8: 57).
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS
Claassen, J.-M. (1992/3) “Sallust’s Jugurtha – rebel
or freedom fighter?: on crossing crocodile-
infested waters.” Classical World 86: 273–97.
View publication stats
Earl, D. C. (1965) “Sallust and the Senate’s
Numidian policy.” Latomus 24: 532–6.
Ilevbare, J. A. (1977/8) “Jugurtha. A victim of
Roman imperialism and factional politics.”
Museum Africum 6: 43–59.
Paul, G. M. (1984) A historical commentary
on Sallust’s Bellum Jugurthinum.
Liverpool.