Masinissa: Encyclopedia II - Masinissa - Involvement in the Second Punic War

Masinissa - Involvement in the Second Punic War

After the Carthaginian invasion of Europe and subsequent campaigns in Iberia and Italy during the Second Punic War, the Romans had sought an ally in North Africa to aid them against Carthage. According to Livy, Syphax, the prince of Eastern Numidia, had suddenly turned against his Carthaginian neighbors in the midst of the Second Punic War. After Rome responded by sending Syphax three centuries, Carthage enlisted the aid of Syphax's rival Gala, the ruler of the Maseulians in Western Numidia. Gala's son Masinissa, then seventeen years old, led an army of Numidian troops and Carthaginian auxiliaries against Syphax's army and won a decisive victory.

After his victory over Syphax, Masinissa commanded his skilled Numidian cavalryman in a successful guerrilla campaign against the Romans in Iberia. Around 206 BC he started to cooperate with the Romans, and assisted in the battle of Zama (near modern-day Maktar, Tunisia). During the battle, while the Carthaginian infantry was successfully engaging the Roman legions under the command of Scipio Africanus, Masinissa's cavalry had been diverted from the battle. After their return, the Romans managed to defeat the Carthaginian levies and veterans under the command of Hannibal.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Involvement in the Second Punic War", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki