List of kings of Numidia
| King of Numidia | |
|---|---|
The Numidian sun, traditionnaly represented as the Numidian coat of arm. | |
Bust of King Massinissa | |
| Details | |
| Style | King of the Numidians, Agellid |
| First monarch | Madghis |
| Last monarch | Ptolemy of Mauretania |
| Formation | c. 400BC |
| Abolition | 40/42 |
| Residence | Cirta, Siga, and Caesarea in Mauretania |
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom located in the region of North Africa that today comprises Algeria and parts of today Tunisia, Libya and Morocco. The kingdom existed from the 3rd to the 1st century BC. Numidia was originally composed of two large kingdoms: the Massyles in the east and the Massaessyles in the west, until it was unified into a single kingdom by Massinissa. Rome established it as a client kingdom after the Second Punic War and annexed it, first in 46 BC and again in 25 BC after a brief period of restored independence under King Juba II (30 BC–25 BC).
After this, the kingdom became the Numidian kingdom of Mauretania, being ruled by Juba II as a client king. The royal line definitely ended in 40 after Juba II's son, Ptolemy was murdered by his cousin, Caligula. The kingdom itself actually ended after the demise of Ptolemy's former slave, Aedemon who had revolted from 40 to 42 against Rome, after this, the kingdom gets completely annexed by the Roman Empire.
Before Massinissa's unification there were two distinct groups:
- The Massylii or Maesulians were a Berber federation in eastern Numidia (central and eastern Algeria), which was formed by an amalgamation of smaller tribes during the 4th century BC. They were ruled by a king. On their loosely defined western frontier were the powerful Masaesyli. To their east lay the territory of the rich and powerful Carthaginian Republic. Their relationship to Carthage resembled that of a protectorate. Carthage maintained its dominance over the Massylii by skillful diplomatic manoeuvering, playing off local tribal and kingdom rivalries. The principal towns of the Massylii were Cirta, Tébessa and Thugga in modern-day Algeria and Tunisia.
- The Massaesylii were a Berber confederate kingdom of western Numidia (central and western Algeria) and the main antagonists of the Massylii in eastern Numidia. The kingdom of Massaesylia extended all the way west to Mulucha river and under Syphax its authority extended to the Strait of Gibraltar.