Jugurtha

A lot is known about the life of Jugurtha due mainly to Sallust and he is generally seen in classical eyes not as a Numidian nationalist but rather as an instigator of the fall of the Roman Republic.

Jugurtha, born c. 160 BC was king of Numidia from 118 to 105 and the illegitimate son of the great Masinissa -Scipio Africanus´ friend- who had helped Rome win the Second Punic War. Orphaned while still young Jugurtha grew up in the court of his uncle Micipsa, Masinissa´s eldest son and successor. The physical and intellectual skills of the young man where soon recognised and feared by his uncle Micipsa so in 134 BC he was placed in command of an Numidian auxilia sent to aid the Romans in the siege of Numantia, where it is alleged that Micipsa hoped that he would be killed.
The talent of Jugutha soon brought him to the attention of Scipio Aemilianus -his family´s patron- who made him part of his entourage. During his time in Spain Jugurtha gained a deep knowledge of Roman military tactics and, due to his legionary service, a large number of friendly contacts within Rome and her Senate. After the war Scipio sent Jugurtha home with a glowing letter of recommendation which encouraged Micipsa to adopted Jugurtha on his deathbed in 118 BC and make him co-heir to his younger sons.

There was not a lot of love shared between the co-heirs, with Jugurtha sensitive about the low status of his mother and the brothers -particularly the younger, Hiempsal- deeply resentful of Jugurtha and therefore the rulers could not agree on the division of power and so divided the country in three parts. Jugurtha had the energetic Hiemsal soon assassinated in Thirmida, which he had made his capital. Now Numidia faced civil war, most of the country stayed loyal to the "legitimate" heir Adherbal but the army joined its old commander, jugurtha. Adherbal´s army was routed in the first engament and he fled to the Roman Province of Africa and onto Rome seeking assistance.

Both were invited to speak before the Senate in Rome but the influence and bribes distributed but Jugurtha amongst the Senators made an impartial decision very hard. Only through the moderate action of Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, Princeps Senatus, was the Senate persuaded to send a commission led by L. Optimus (consol in 121 BC) widely believed to be responsible for the murder of G. Gracchus to divide the country between Adherbal and Jugurtha. With the commission giving Jugurtha the western (and richer) half and Adherbal the eastern half.

Jugurtha still coveted Adherbal's part of the kingdom after a few years of continuous raiding to which Adherbal could not be provoked to respond Jugurtha finally in 112 BC attacked. Adherbal´s army was ambushed easily near Cirta and he fled to the city where he immediately sent messages to Rome asking for help. A second Roman commission arrived in Numidia and spoke to Jugurtha but was not allowed to approach Adherbal now besieged in Cirta, this was followed by a third equally inefficient Roman commission. headed by the old Scaurus himself who summoned Jugurtha to stop the attack, but once again Jugurtha ignored the Roman protests and in 112 BC a short time later the citizens of Cirta forced Adherbal to surrender, who was promptly tortured and many of the defenders including some Romans were killed.
Rome was outraged with the murder of her citizens a tribune plebes, Caius Memmius, roused the general indignation in the People who believed that this was all the result of the corruption and inefficiency of the nobles. Jugurtha´s thought that bribery wouls settle the issue but his conciliatory embassy was not given an audience in the Senate and the new consul Lucius Calpurnius Bestia was allotted Numidia . The consul´s army -with Scaurus as legatus , was sent to Africa. Peace was quickly reached however, with little damage where Jugurtha was able to make a generous settlement with Bestia and Scaurus who were immediately summoned to Rome to explain how they had managed to obtain the treaty. Bestia and Scaurus arrived in Rome leaving the army in Africa to be charged by the tribune Memmius of accepting bribes and Jugurtha was summoned to Rome, to testify against them.

Memmius´ efforts were quickly thwarted by another tribune who vetoed Jugurtha´s speech in the Assembly. Jugurtha seemed to be in the clear but then one of the new consuls, Spurius Postumius Albinus, eager for a war a chances of glory, supported Massiva, son of Gulussa a claimant to the Numidian throne living in Rome . Jugurtha was able to get the claimant one of his cousins killed and left for home saying the famous words; "Yonder there is a city up for sale, and its days are numbered if its finds a buyer". In 110 BC the consul Albinus then followed to resume the war, Jugurtha stalled him by continuous promises of surrender etc. and finally the Roman had to leave to supervise the elections. His legatus propraetore, brother Aulus, thought he could finish the war -and earn a few extra sestertii- by capturing the city of Suthul ( where Jugurtha kept his money). The badly planned operation ended in disgrace when Jugurtha ambushed Aulus´ army and humiliated them by letting them pass under the yoke. Back, in Rome, the reaction was violent. Cries of scandal, bribery and incompetence were running rampant. Next year, brother Spurius -now proconsul- kept his army in the Roman Province but achieved little.

The common people where becoming angry with the complete lack of Senatorial capability, further highlighted by defeats in Southern Gaul and the approaching Germanic Cimbri and Teutones in Illyria. Finally the Senate reacted and in 109 BC the consul Quintus Caecilius Metellus, was appointed for Numidia . Reaching his new command he soon got the old army into good condition again and advanced into Numidia . There Jugurtha was playing his old diplomacy tricks promising surrender but Metellus was not a fool and was careful. He secured several towns in western Numidia -amongst the important one of Vaga- until Jugurtha decided that his own methods were being used against him. Accordingly he set an ambush on the Romans at the River Muthul, not far from Vaga. Metellus´ troops suffered heavy losses until their discipline won the day and forced Jugurtha to retreat with losses. Metellus saw that he could not win by winning battles and started to ravage the country and to capture all towns. His biggest attempt was on the large city of Zama which he could not conquer because of the brave defence and the harassment by Jugurtha´s army.

These setbacks had made the King think of making peace with the enemy and Bomilcar, his cousin and the murderer of the pretender in Rome, feared that he would be given to the Romans with peace and therefore concluded a deal of his own with Metellus promising to deliver Jugurtha. Bomilcar suggested to Jugurtha that good, arms and gold be sent to the Romans as a token of surrender and just when Bomilcar was to deliver Jugurtha to the Romans, Jugurtha backed out, recognised what Bomilcar was attempting and had him executed. In the end of 109 Vaga revolted and Metellus had the city destroyed in three days.

At the same time Metellus and his legatus propraetore, Caius Marius, were in conflict as Mettellus would not give him leave to stand as consul. Finally leave was given and Marius was elected because of his promises of a speedy conclusion to a war that -he said- Metellus´ greed and inefficiency were prolonging. Metellus´ second year of 108 was conducted in securing the settled parts of Numidia and with at coup which gave him Thala -Jugurtha´s treasury, situated in difficult ground. The King was forced to flee to Bocchus of Mauretania who joined forces and tried to give battle to Metellus, who did not do anything because he already knew that he was going to be relieved.

Caius Marius was a novus homo that would become one of the greatest Romans. Having got his war he used the army to ravage the countyside to make it difficult to Jugurtha to live. He then placed his army in a permanent camp luring the enemy to think that he would not do anything. Now he marched the light-armed part of his army in stelth to Capsa -Jugurtha´s only major city, in southern Numidia . The inhabitants did not notice Marius until he was on the gates.

Next year started with a similar operation, this time the distance were huge and it was much more dangerous. The plan was to strike on Jugurtha´s fortress on the River Muluccha -the border with Mauretania . Here the King kept his money and supplies. Marius left his winter quarters so early that Jugurtha -inland- could not anticipate him. The Romans at Muluccha were faced with a very hard job, the fort was on a impregnable clift and any attempts to storm it had failed, building a siege ramp was impossible. Marius was beginning to think about retiring when a Ligurian cavalryman chasing snails on the cliffs found a way into the fort. A combined attack on the main side and with the scaling party gave the fort to Marius.

The situation was getting desperate to Jugurtha, Bocchus was wavering, his only chance was to defeat the Romans so that he could negotiate a settlement. The two Kings forces attacked the Roman column on its return march and it was thrown into confusion. In a situation very similar with the battle on the Muthul the leadership of Marius with the tenacity of the troops allowed them to retreat to some hills. Next morning the Romans attacked the weary Numidians and routed them totally. Marius learnt from this and continued his march in the square formation, wary of attacks on the march. For Jugurtha there was no option but to have the final try.

Finally, still some days from Cirta the Jugurtha´s cavalry surrounded Marius. The Romans could generally keep the inferior enemy infantry at bay but the heat and cavalry were deadly. Jugurtha´s own household cavalry nearly suceeded in breaking the Roman line had not Marius´ quaestor, Lucius Cornelius Sulla been able to gather the Roman forces for a counterattack. Bocchus was the first to panic and deserted Jugurtha, who had been wounded.

Four days after reaching Cirta envoys from Bocchus came to Marius. They stated that Bocchus had never intended to make war on Rome , he was just protecting his friend. Marius answered politely but said that Rome would need concrete proof of Bocchus´ good intentions -both knew what he wanted; Jugurtha. After sending an embassy to Rome that received a polite but firm answer in the same like Marius´, Jugurtha invated Marius´ quaestor Sulla to visit him for further negotiations. There was a considerable risk to him for Jugurtha might have intercepted or the weak Bocchus might have given him to Jugurtha. But Sulla was trusting to the King´s survival instinct and his own luck. After rounds of negotiations Bocchus finally invited Jugurtha to a conference with him and Sulla. He was ambushed and wrapped up for Sulla.

Sulla seated left; Bocchus, king of Mauretania, kneels before & offers olive-branch; Jugurtha, king of Numidia, kneels behind.

There was no opposition from the long suffering Numidians after the capture of their King. Bocchus was given Friend and Ally Status and Marius would be appointed commander in the great war against the Germani.

Jugurtha was sent to Rome where he was starved in the Tullianum in the aftermath of his victor´s triumph.