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Numidia

The country now known as Algeria, first appears in history as Mauritania and Numidia, districts which were of different extent at different periods. Numidia derived its title from the Greeks, who gave the name of Nomads to its wandering tribes; whilst Mauritania was peopled by the Mauri, who devoted themselves chiefly to settled pursuits. When Dido founded Carthage, B.C. 853, Hiarbas, king of these tribes, attempted to force her to marry him; and the mention of this fact may be considered as the earliest notice we have of the country.

Numidia was divided into the provinces of Massylia and Massessylia, which, being involved in the Punic wars, were formed into one kingdom, B.C. 202, with the assistance of Scipio Africanus, by Massinissa, king of Massylia, who overcame Syphax, king of Massessylia, and took possession of his capital, Cirta, the present Constantine. The well-known Sophonisba was wife to these kings.

Massinissa was succeeded by Micipsa, B.C. 148, who, on his death, which occurred B.C. 118, divided the kingdom between his two sons, Adherbal and Hiempsal, and his nephew Jugurtha. The latter had already distinguished himself in Spain, under Scipio Africanus Minor, and was an ally of Rome; but on his having deposed and assassinated both his cousins contrary to the orders of the Senate, they declared war against him, B.C. 111. The war was carried on for four years, and Jugurtha, being driven to take refuge among the Gaetulians, inhabitants of the Atlas Mountains, was assisted for a time by his father-in-law, Bocchus, king of Mauritania.

In B.C. 106, the celebrated Marius having defeated their united forces, Bocchus bought peace by the surrender of Jugurtha, who, after appearing in a Roman triumph, was starved to death in prison, B.C. 104. From this time the country fell more and more under the power of the Romans, and in B.C. 46, we find Sallust established as Governor of Numidia by Julius Caesar, there collecting materials for his history of the Jugurthine Wars, and enriching himself by the plunder of the country, which had now reached a high state of civilization and prosperity.

Juba II, who had been educated at Rome, received from Augustus Cassar, B.c. 25, the kingdom of Mauritania in exchange for Numidia, and removed his capital to the Phoenician port of Iol, to which he gave the name of Cassarea; the remains are still to be found in the little town of Cherchel. He died about A.d. 19, leaving by his wife Cleopatra or Selene, daughter of Antony and Cleopatra, a son called Ptolemy, the last independent prince of the African provinces.