Jugurthine

Jugurthine refers to Jugurtha, the Numidian king in North Africa during the late 2nd century BCE, and to the Jugurthine War (Bellum Jugurthinum) between the Roman Republic and Numidia that lasted roughly from 112 to 105–106 BCE. The term is also used to denote things related to Jugurtha’s reign and the era surrounding his conflict with Rome.

Background and course of events: Numidia, centered in the region of present-day Algeria, was ruled by the Masinissan line. After the death of King Masinissa, Jugurtha, a nephew, sought to consolidate power and came into conflict with his rival Adherbal. Adherbal was killed, and Rome intervened in the dynastic dispute, eventually widening the dispute into a war. The conflict featured both military and political maneuvering, with Jugurtha accused of bribery and corruption aimed at Roman officials and lawmakers. Roman generals, including Quintus Metellus and, later, Gaius Marius, conducted campaigns against Jugurtha and his Numidian forces, while Rome sought to assert its influence in the region.

Outcome and legacy: In 106 BCE Jugurtha was betrayed to the Romans by Bocchus I of Mauretania and delivered to Rome. He died in 104 BCE while in Roman custody. The Jugurthine War had a lasting impact on Roman politics, highlighting corruption within the Roman elite and contributing to reforms associated with the rise of Marius. It also provided subject matter for Sallust’s Histories, which used the conflict to comment on Rome’s moral and political decline.

See also: Jugurtha, Bellum Jugurthinum, Sallust.