Micipsa
Encyclopedia
Micipsa was the eldest legitimate son of Masinissa
, the King of Numidia
, in the Ancient Algerian Maghreb of North Africa. He became the King of Numidia.
to demand that exiled pro-Numidian politicians be allowed to return, but they were refused entry at the city gates. As the royal party turned to depart, Hamilcar the Samnite and a group of his supporters attacked Micipsa's convoy, killing some of his attendants. This incident led to a retaliatory strike on the Carthaginian town of Oroscopa that heralded the start of the Carthaginian-Numidian War and eventually precipitated the Third Punic War
.
(along with the royal palace and treasury there in), Gulussa the charge of war and Mastarnable the administration of justice.
The sons continued their father's policy and his support of Rome during its war on Carthage. Though Micipsa wavered somewhat in his support for Rome, "always promising arms and money . . . but always delaying and waiting to see what would happen" (Appian Pun. 111). In 146 B.C. when Mastarnable's illegitimate son Jugurtha
was fourteen years old, Carthage was destroyed by the Romans. Shortly thereafter Galussa died and later still Mastarnable, leaving Micipsa control of the entire kingdom. During Micipsa's reign Numidian cultural and commercial progress was aided when thousands of Carthaginians fled to Numidia following the Roman destruction of Carthage.
Micipsa had two natural sons Hiempsal
and Adherbal
and is reported to have added his illegitimate nephew Jugurtha
to his palace household. Jugurtha was treated as the king's son and received a sound military training. Micipsa continued to be a loyal ally to Rome providing military assistance when asked. In 142 BC
the Roman commander Quintus Fabius Maximus Servilianus wrote to Micipsa asking for a division of war elephants to help in Rome's struggle against the Lusitanian rebel Viriathus
and again in 134 BC
Micipsa sent archers, slingers, and elephants to aid Scipio Aemilianus besieging Numantia
in Spain, sending Jugurtha to command his units.
After the fall of Numantia Jugurtha returned home with a letter from Scipio addressed to his uncle; in it, the commander praised Jugurtha's exploits and congratulated Micipsa for having "a kinsman worthy of yourself, and of his grandfather Masinissa" (Sallust Iug. 9). On this recommendation the king formally adopted Jugurtha and made him co-heir with his own children.
Masinissa
Masinissa — also spelled Massinissa and Massena — was the first King of Numidia, an ancient North African nation of ancient Libyan tribes. As a successful general, Masinissa fought in the Second Punic War , first against the Romans as an ally of Carthage an later switching sides when he saw which...
, the King of Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
, in the Ancient Algerian Maghreb of North Africa. He became the King of Numidia.
Early life
In 151 BC Masinissa sent Micipsa and his brother Gulussa to CarthageCarthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
to demand that exiled pro-Numidian politicians be allowed to return, but they were refused entry at the city gates. As the royal party turned to depart, Hamilcar the Samnite and a group of his supporters attacked Micipsa's convoy, killing some of his attendants. This incident led to a retaliatory strike on the Carthaginian town of Oroscopa that heralded the start of the Carthaginian-Numidian War and eventually precipitated the Third Punic War
Third Punic War
The Third Punic War was the third and last of the Punic Wars fought between the former Phoenician colony of Carthage, and the Roman Republic...
.
Succession to the Throne
In the spring of 148 BC Masinissa died and the tripartite division of the kingdom among the elderly king's three sons Micipsa, Gulussa, and Mastarnable took place by Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, to whom Masinissa had given the authority to administer his estate. With Micipsa receiving as part of his inheritance the Numidian capital of CirtaCirta
Cirta was the capital city of the ancient Kingdom of Numidia in northern Africa . Its strategically important port city was Russicada...
(along with the royal palace and treasury there in), Gulussa the charge of war and Mastarnable the administration of justice.
The sons continued their father's policy and his support of Rome during its war on Carthage. Though Micipsa wavered somewhat in his support for Rome, "always promising arms and money . . . but always delaying and waiting to see what would happen" (Appian Pun. 111). In 146 B.C. when Mastarnable's illegitimate son Jugurtha
Jugurtha
Jugurtha or Jugurthen was a King of Numidia, , born in Cirta .-Background:Until the reign of Jugurtha's grandfather Masinissa, the people of Numidia were semi-nomadic and indistinguishable from the other Libyans in North Africa...
was fourteen years old, Carthage was destroyed by the Romans. Shortly thereafter Galussa died and later still Mastarnable, leaving Micipsa control of the entire kingdom. During Micipsa's reign Numidian cultural and commercial progress was aided when thousands of Carthaginians fled to Numidia following the Roman destruction of Carthage.
Micipsa had two natural sons Hiempsal
Hiempsal
Hiempsal, was the name of the two kings of Numidia*Hiempsal I, the son of Micipsa, was assassinated by Jugurtha.*Hiempsal II, the son of Gauda, the half-brother of Jugurtha....
and Adherbal
Adherbal
Adherbal, son of Micipsa and grandson of Masinissa, was a king of Numidia between 118 BC and 112 BC. He inherited the throne after the death of his father, and ruled jointly with his younger brother Hiempsal, and Jugurtha, the nephew of Masinissa...
and is reported to have added his illegitimate nephew Jugurtha
Jugurtha
Jugurtha or Jugurthen was a King of Numidia, , born in Cirta .-Background:Until the reign of Jugurtha's grandfather Masinissa, the people of Numidia were semi-nomadic and indistinguishable from the other Libyans in North Africa...
to his palace household. Jugurtha was treated as the king's son and received a sound military training. Micipsa continued to be a loyal ally to Rome providing military assistance when asked. In 142 BC
142 BC
Year 142 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Calvus and Servilianus...
the Roman commander Quintus Fabius Maximus Servilianus wrote to Micipsa asking for a division of war elephants to help in Rome's struggle against the Lusitanian rebel Viriathus
Viriathus
Viriathus was the most important leader of the Lusitanian people that resisted Roman expansion into the regions of Western Hispania , where the Roman province of Lusitania would be established...
and again in 134 BC
134 BC
Year 134 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aemilianus and Flaccus...
Micipsa sent archers, slingers, and elephants to aid Scipio Aemilianus besieging Numantia
Numantia
Numantia is the name of an ancient Celtiberian settlement, whose remains are located 7 km north of the city of Soria, on a hill known as Cerro de la Muela in the municipality of Garray....
in Spain, sending Jugurtha to command his units.
After the fall of Numantia Jugurtha returned home with a letter from Scipio addressed to his uncle; in it, the commander praised Jugurtha's exploits and congratulated Micipsa for having "a kinsman worthy of yourself, and of his grandfather Masinissa" (Sallust Iug. 9). On this recommendation the king formally adopted Jugurtha and made him co-heir with his own children.