Editing Numidia (section)

=== Establishment and apogee ===
[[Image:GM Massinissa.png|thumb|upright|[[Masinissa]] (c. 240-148 BC), first king of Numidia]]
Masinissa regained his father's kingdom, and also took control of much of Syphax's territory. The Second Punic War ended with a Roman victory at the [[battle of Zama]] in 202 BC, and Masinissa of the Massylii consolidated his position as the first king of a united Numidia with enthusiastic Roman patronage.<ref name="EB1911" /> The Romans were determined to keep a powerful ally in Africa to prevent the Carthaginians from threatening their hard-won hegemony in the western Mediterranean.[[File:Egypt,_Rome,_Carthage_and_Numidia.jpg|thumb|Numidia (in blue) at its largest extent after capturing Syphax in Tingitania and vassalizing Bokkar.<ref name="Bokkar2">Historical Dictionary of Morocco Aomar Boum, Thomas K. Park Rowman & Littlefield</ref> surrounding Carthage (Yellow) and neighboring Ptolemaic Egypt (deep purple) and the Roman Republic (Red)]]

Massinissa, constantly encroaching on the territory left to the Carthaginians, had, by 158 BC, conquered Lepcis Magna and the Tripolitanian coast, bringing under his authority all the Berber tribes established between [[Cyrenaica]] and the [[Rhumel River|Ampsaga River]]. Masinissa's territory extended from the [[Mulucha River|Mulucha river]] to the boundary of the Carthaginian territory, and also southeast as far as [[Cyrenaica]] to the [[Gulf of Sidra|gulf of Sirte]], so that Numidia entirely surrounded Carthage ([[Appian]], ''Punica'', 106) except towards the sea.<ref name=":6">[https://books.google.com/books?id=glgzDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA111 Historical Dictionary of Morocco]
Aomar Boum, Thomas K. Park
Rowman & Littlefield</ref> Furthermore, after the capture of Syphax the king of the Masaesyli (West Algeria) with his capital based in [[Siga]]<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Abed |first=Bakhta Moukraenta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GNoWswEACAAJ |title=Les villes de l'Algérie antique Tome I: Au travers des sources arabes du Moyen Âge (Province de la Maurétanie Césarienne) |date=2015 |publisher=Presses Académiques Francophones |isbn=978-3-8381-7852-3 |pages=226 |language=fr}}</ref> and after losing Siga had relocated to a temporary capital in Tinga, Bokkar, had become a vassal of Massinissa.<ref name=":0">[https://books.google.com/books?id=nS1FAAAAYAAJ&q=il+devint+le+vassal+de+Massinissa Villes et tribus du Maroc: documents et renseignements, Volume 7]
Morocco. Direction des affaires indigènes: “Les rois indigènes . Bokkar . Au début du troisième siècle avant JésusChrist , le Maroc obéissait à Bokkar , qui résidait à Tanger , capitale du royaume , et qui était un lieutenant du roi de Numidie Syphax. En 202 avant Jésus - Christ , après la capture de Syphax , il devint le vassal de Massinissa”
H. Champion</ref><ref name=":1">[https://books.google.com/books?id=rmUcAAAAMAAJ&q=bokkar+vassal+massinissa Histoire du Maroc]
Coissac de Chavrebière
Payot: “ La guerre tourna à l'avantage de Massinissa , allié des Romains . Syphax fut fait prisonnier ( 202 ) et Bokkar devint le vassal du vainqueur . « Massinissa , dit St. Gsell , rêvà d'être pour la civilisation punique ce que le Macédonien...”</ref><ref name=":2">[https://books.google.com/books?id=3TYMAQAAIAAJ&q=bokkar+vassal+massinissa Le Maroc]
Prosper Ricard
Hachette: “En 202 avant J.-C. , elle était la résidence , disent les Anciens , de Bokkar , roi du Maroc , lieutenant de Syphax le numide , vassal de Massinissa . En 105 avant J.-C. , Bokkus [ er , allié de Sylla , livre aux Romains son gendre”</ref> Massinissa had also penetrated as far south beyond the Atlas to the [[Gaetuli]] and [[Fezzan]] was part of his domain.<ref name=":4">[https://books.google.com/books?id=XlxMAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA127 Histoire des Romains depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à la fin du règne des Antonins: Depuis les Gracques jusqu'à la fin du règne de Claude]. Victor Duruy. Hachette et cie</ref><ref name=":5">[https://books.google.com/books?id=yecDAQAAIAAJ&q=massinissa <nowiki>Storia della Libia dai tempi piu' [i.e. più] remoti ad oggi: compendio</nowiki>]. Muḥammad Masʻūd Fushaykah. Stabilimento poligrafico editoriale Maggi.</ref>

Settled in Cirta, where he surrounded himself with the refinements of Greek and Roman civilizations, Masinissa disciplined his Berbers and trained them in agricultural work. Carthage, complaining about Massinissa’s encroachments as he had taken control of most of the emporia or African ports, thereby ruining its trade, appealed to Rome, which sent commissioners to investigate the grievances on-site. Among these envoys was [[Cato the Elder|Marcus Cato]], who, upon observing the rapid recovery of Carthage, whose fleet and army had been rebuilt, advocated for the destruction of the Punic metropolis. He concluded all his reports and speeches with the words: “Moreover, I think [[Carthago delenda est|Carthage must be destroyed]].” 

Rome, seeking a pretext for further intervention, found one when Massinissa attacked the Punic city of Oroscopa. Hasdrubal, leading a force of 30,000 men to relieve the city, was decisively defeated by Gulussa, Massinissa’s son, in 150 BC. Learning that Carthage had waged war against a prince allied with Rome, the Romans dispatched an army of 80,000 men to Africa. In 146 BC Carthage was [[Siege of Carthage (Third Punic War)|obliterated]] by the armies of Consul [[Scipio Aemilianus]] in what is known as the [[Third Punic War]]. The victors reduced Carthage’s territory to a Roman province, which they named the “[[Africa (Roman province)|Province of Africa]].”[[File:Cherchell_Neopunic_inscriptions_(141).jpg|thumb|Marble with [[Punic]] inscription mentioning king [[Micipsa]] found in [[Caesarea in Mauretania|Iol]].|left]]Masinissa ruled for 55 years until his death in 148 BC, shortly before Rome’s destruction of Carthage in 146 BC. [[Micipsa]] succeeded him, reigning for another 30 years. The three sons of Massinissa jointly ruled Numidia, under  Roman oversight. At the request of Masinissa, Scipio Aemilianus arranged a division of Masinissa's kingdom and inheritance. Micipsa managed the palace and the [[treasury]] in Cira, [[Gulussa]] was given command of the Numidian army and [[Mastanabal]] was appointed chief Judicial authority in the kingdom. On the death of his two brothers in 145 BC, Micipsa, finding himself sole heir to the kingdom of Massinissa, reigned in Cirta, with the help of his two sons [[Adherbal (king of Numidia)|Adherbal]] and [[Hiempsal I]], and his nephew [[Jugurtha]], son of his brother Manastabal.

Under Masinissa and his son Micipsa, Numidia flourished. During this era of stability, Numidia advanced significantly. Settled agriculture expanded alongside traditional pastoralism, towns grew more urbanized, and trade flourished through access to former Carthaginian ports. The kingdom maintained Roman favor by supplying grain and military auxiliaries, including cavalry, infantry, and elephants. The Numidian kings tried to involve themselves in the Greek-dominated [[Hellenistic culture]] of the eastern Mediterranean. In their coin portraits, Masinissa and Micipsa often wore a diadem, a white [[ribbon]] tied around the head and recognized as a Hellenistic symbol of monarchy. They financed the construction of Greek-style buildings in their cities, and one of Masinissa's sons even competed in the [[Panathenaic Games]].