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Syphax

Syphax (died c. 202 BC) was a Berber king of the Masaesyli tribe who ruled western Numidia, with his capital at Siga, during the final decades of the third century BC.^[1] As a key figure in the Second Punic War (218–201 BC), he initially allied with Rome against Carthage, receiving military training for his forces from Roman advisors and achieving victories over the rival Massylian Numidians.^[1]^[2] Following the death of the Massylian king Gala in 206 BC, Syphax expanded his domain by conquering eastern Numidian territories, but his fortunes reversed when he defected to Carthage, marrying the noblewoman Sophonisba—daughter of Hasdrubal Gisco—to cement the alliance.^[1]^[2] This shift led to his decisive defeat by Roman general Scipio Africanus and Massinissa at the Battle of the Great Plains in 203 BC, after which Syphax was captured at Cirta, paraded in Scipio's triumph in Rome, and exiled to Tibur (modern Tivoli), where he died in captivity.^[1]^[2] Ancient historians such as Livy and Polybius recount his role, highlighting his territorial ambitions and the dramatic intrigue surrounding Sophonisba, though Polybius provides a more restrained account focused on strategic maneuvers.^[1]

Background and Kingdom

Rise to Power and Early Reign

Syphax ruled as king of the Masaesyli, a Numidian tribe inhabiting western Numidia (modern northwestern Algeria), during the mid-3rd century BC. He ascended to the throne circa 215 BC, inheriting a kingdom that had long been under Carthaginian influence as a dependent ally.^[1] In 214 BC, amid the escalating Second Punic War, Syphax rebelled against Carthaginian dominance and initiated diplomatic overtures to the Roman Republic. He dispatched envoys to the Roman generals Publius Cornelius Scipio and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio in Hispania, expressing hostility toward Carthage and requesting military support to harass their African territories.^[3] The Scipios welcomed the opportunity to open a second front against Carthage, dispatching three centurions bearing arms and military gifts as tokens of alliance. One centurion, Lucius Statorius, remained in Numidia at Syphax's request to reform and train his infantry. Statorius organized the Numidian foot soldiers into Roman-style manipular formations, emphasizing close-order drill, cohort cohesion, and disciplined maneuvering—skills that complemented the tribe's renowned cavalry prowess and elevated the infantry's effectiveness in pitched battles.^[3] This Roman assistance enabled initial successes, but Carthage swiftly responded by forging an alliance with Gala, king of the eastern Massylian Numidians. Gala's son, Masinissa, led a combined Carthaginian-Numidian force that inflicted a severe defeat on Syphax, killing or capturing 30,000 of his warriors and compelling him to seek refuge among the Maurusian tribes to the west. Despite this reversal, Syphax retained his core territories and throne, regrouping to assert influence over western Numidia in the war's early years.^[3]

Territory, Economy, and Military Capabilities

Syphax governed the Masaesyli tribe's domain in western Numidia, spanning roughly modern northwestern Algeria from the Moulouya River—serving as the western border with Mauretania under King Baga—to an eastern frontier near Cape Treton (modern Bougaroun), contested with the Massylii kingdom of Masinissa.^[4] His capital at Siga, located near the Sigus River's outlet on the Mediterranean coast, facilitated coastal access and defense. This territory encompassed diverse landscapes, including coastal plains, inland steppes, and Atlas Mountain foothills, supporting a semi-nomadic population.^[5] The economy centered on pastoralism, with herding of horses, cattle, sheep, and goats as the mainstay, enabling mobility and providing hides, wool, and dairy for local use and trade. Horse breeding was particularly vital, yielding the light cavalry steeds prized in Mediterranean warfare and exchanged with Carthaginian merchants for metals, textiles, and pottery. Subsistence agriculture occurred in fertile river valleys and coastal zones, yielding barley, olives, and figs, though nomadic practices limited large-scale cultivation compared to eastern Numidian rivals.^[6] Militarily, Syphax fielded a formidable force leveraging Numidian strengths in cavalry, estimated at around 9,700 horsemen skilled in hit-and-run tactics with javelins and short swords, complemented by approximately 50,200 infantry at peak mobilization during the 203 BC campaigns.^[7] Prior to his alliance with Rome, a Roman legate named Statorius trained Masaesyli foot soldiers in legionary drill and camp construction, yielding cohesive units that Syphax deemed as reliable as his mounted warriors, though ancient accounts like Livy note their lighter armament persisted. This hybrid capability allowed Syphax to project power across Numidia, allying with Carthage before shifting to support Scipio Africanus.^[8]

Involvement in the Second Punic War

Initial Alliances and Negotiations

Syphax, king of the Masaesyli in western Numidia, initially positioned himself against Carthaginian influence due to their support for the rival Massylian kingdom under Gala. In 214 BCE, he consulted with the Roman commanders Publius Cornelius Scipio and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus in Hispania, leading to a covert alliance against Carthage, which he concealed from the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal Barca.^[9] Hasdrubal responded by invading Syphax's territory that year but failed to achieve a decisive victory.^[1] By 213 BCE, Syphax formalized his alliance with Rome, prompting the dispatch of the Roman military advisor Quintus Statorius to train Masaesylian troops and enhance their effectiveness against Carthaginian-aligned forces.^[1] This pact targeted the pro-Carthaginian Massylians, with Syphax launching campaigns into their territory while Massinissa, Gala's son, fought alongside Carthage in Hispania.^[10] The alliance reflected Rome's strategy to divide Numidian loyalties and weaken Carthage's African base.^[1] In 212 BCE, amid ongoing pressures, Syphax negotiated a peace treaty with Carthage, temporarily easing hostilities without fully severing Roman ties.^[10] Roman diplomatic efforts persisted, including an embassy to Syphax in 210 BCE to reinforce the partnership amid the Scipios' campaigns in Hispania.^[10] These negotiations underscored Syphax's opportunistic balancing between the warring powers, leveraging Roman support to consolidate power against eastern Numidian rivals while avoiding total commitment.^[1]

Conflicts with Masinissa and Carthage

Syphax, ruler of the Masaesyli tribe in western Numidia, initiated hostilities with Carthage through raids on its North African territories in the years leading up to the Second Punic War (218–201 BC), prompting Carthage to seek allies against him. To counter these incursions, Carthage forged a military alliance with the neighboring Massylii tribe under King Gala, enlisting the support of his son Masinissa, who led campaigns into Masaesyli lands around 212 BC. These operations culminated in victories for Masinissa, forcing Syphax to retreat westward and compelling him to negotiate a peace agreement with Carthage shortly thereafter.^[11]^[12]^[10] As the Second Punic War progressed, shifting allegiances intensified the rivalry between Syphax and Masinissa. Following Masinissa's defection from Carthaginian service in Spain to the Roman side in 206 BC, Syphax—now firmly allied with Carthage—invaded Massylian territory and defeated Masinissa in battle circa 205 BC, expelling him from his kingdom and temporarily consolidating control over eastern Numidian regions. This success bolstered Syphax's position as Carthage's key Numidian supporter against Roman incursions, though it drew from ancient accounts that emphasize the fluid tribal dynamics and opportunistic diplomacy of the era.^[10]^[13]^[14] Syphax's alignment with Carthage during this period involved joint operations against Masinissa's forces, as described in Appian's narrative of Massinissa's broader campaigns against both Syphax and Carthaginian interests, reflecting the interconnected tribal and imperial conflicts in North Africa. However, Syphax's brief overtures toward Rome around 206–205 BC, including negotiations with Scipio Africanus, were short-lived, as Carthaginian general Hasdrubal Gisco persuaded him to reaffirm his commitment to Carthage by 204 BC, setting the stage for escalated confrontations. These maneuvers underscore the pragmatic realpolitik governing Syphax's decisions, prioritizing territorial gains over ideological loyalty.^[14]^[10]

Marriage to Sophonisba and Strategic Realignment

Syphax, having initially formed an alliance with Rome in 214 BCE following a Carthaginian invasion of his territory led by Hasdrubal, began to reassess his position as Roman fortunes waned in Hispania and opportunities arose in eastern Numidia after the death of Gala in 206 BCE.^[1] By conquering portions of the pro-Carthaginian eastern Numidian kingdom under Gala's successors, Syphax positioned himself to dominate the region, prompting Carthage to court his favor amid the defection of Masinissa—the eastern Numidian leader—to the Roman side under Publius Cornelius Scipio.^[1] This strategic pivot aligned Syphax with Carthage to counter Roman advances in North Africa and neutralize Masinissa's growing threat, marking a decisive realignment from his earlier pro-Roman stance.^[1] To cement this new alliance, Hasdrubal Gisco, a prominent Carthaginian general and father of Sophonisba, arranged her marriage to Syphax shortly after the latter's forces defeated and nearly captured Masinissa in 206 BCE near Cirta.^[15] Sophonisba, previously betrothed or informally linked to Masinissa to secure eastern Numidian support for Carthage, was hastily wed to Syphax in a ceremony at his capital, leveraging her influence and noble lineage to bind the western Numidian king irrevocably to Carthaginian interests.^[15] Ancient accounts, including those preserved in Livy, emphasize the marriage's instrumental role: Hasdrubal dispatched Sophonisba directly to Syphax's camp with promises and dowry, ensuring the union served as a diplomatic tool rather than a personal romance, though later traditions romanticized her sway over Syphax.^[1] The marriage facilitated joint Carthaginian-Numidian operations against Scipio's invasion of Africa in 204 BCE, enabling Syphax and Hasdrubal to relieve the Roman siege of Utica and briefly stall Roman momentum through coordinated cavalry and infantry actions.^[1] However, this realignment proved short-lived; Scipio's alliance with the revitalized Masinissa exploited Numidian internal divisions, leading to Syphax's defeat at the Battle of the Great Plains in 203 BCE, where the king's forces were outmaneuvered by superior Roman-Numidian tactics.^[1] The union with Sophonisba, while tactically astute for Carthage in delaying Roman conquest, ultimately underscored the fragility of alliances dependent on personal ties amid shifting military realities.^[15]

Key Battles and Defeats

Battle of the Great Plains

In 203 BC, during the Second Punic War, Roman forces under Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus engaged a combined Carthaginian and Numidian army on the Great Plains near Utica in modern Tunisia. The battle followed Scipio's successful night assaults on the enemy camps in late winter or early spring, where Roman troops, supported by Numidian cavalry under Masinissa, torched the encampments of Hasdrubal Gisco and Syphax, inflicting severe casualties estimated by ancient sources at over 40,000 killed or captured, though such figures likely include exaggerations common in Roman historiography.^[16] Hasdrubal commanded approximately 30,000 Carthaginian infantry supplemented by Spanish mercenaries and Celtiberian troops, while Syphax led a Masaesylian Numidian contingent of similar size, totaling around 50,000-60,000 men in the relief force aimed at lifting the Roman siege of Utica.^[17] The pitched engagement on the open plains favored Roman legionary tactics and Masinissa's mobile cavalry, which outmaneuvered the disorganized remnants of Syphax's lighter Numidian horse and Hasdrubal's heavier infantry. Scipio deployed his legions in standard triple line (triplex acies) formation, with velites screening the front and hastati, principes, and triarii in reserve, allowing for flexible responses to the enemy's mixed forces. The Romans routed the opposing center, compelling Hasdrubal to flee with roughly 500 cavalry and 2,000-3,000 infantry survivors, while Syphax withdrew westward toward his Numidian heartland with a diminished force.^[18]^[16] No precise Roman casualties are recorded, but losses were minimal compared to the enemy's, reflecting Scipio's tactical superiority in exploiting the terrain and recent camp disruptions. This Roman victory dismantled the Carthaginian-Numidian alliance's immediate threat to Scipio's African campaign, securing Utica and enabling further incursions into Carthaginian territory. Syphax's defeat eroded his control over western Numidia, paving the way for Masinissa's consolidation of power under Roman patronage, though ancient accounts like Livy's emphasize Scipio's strategic brilliance while potentially understating Numidian agency due to pro-Roman bias in surviving sources.^[1] The battle underscored the fragility of Carthage's reliance on Numidian levies, as tribal loyalties shifted amid battlefield reversals, contributing causally to Hannibal's recall from Italy later that year.^[16]

Battle of Cirta

Following the decisive Roman and Massylian victory over the Carthaginian-Numidian alliance at the Battle of the Great Plains in late summer 203 BC, Syphax, king of the Masaesyli, fled westward toward his capital of Cirta with the remnants of his defeated army.^[19] Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, recognizing the opportunity to neutralize Syphax's threat, ordered his legate Gaius Laelius and the Massylian king Masinissa to pursue the retreating foe with their combined cavalry forces, while the main Roman legions advanced more slowly.^[20] Syphax, approximately eight miles from Cirta, established a fortified camp in an attempt to rally fresh troops from the surrounding region and reorganize his shattered forces.^[20] Masinissa's swift Numidian cavalry, leveraging superior mobility, overtook the Masaesylian rearguard before reinforcements could arrive, launching a surprise assault that quickly routed Syphax's encampment.^[20] In the ensuing clash, Syphax was captured alive alongside one of his sons, with his remaining troops scattering toward Cirta; the engagement resulted in relatively few casualties but represented a strategic collapse for the Masaesyli kingdom.^[20]^[21] With Syphax in chains, Masinissa pressed on to Cirta ahead of Laelius, parading the captive king before the city walls to demoralize the defenders and compel surrender.^[20] The inhabitants, witnessing their ruler's defeat and lacking viable defenses without his leadership, yielded the capital without further resistance, allowing Masinissa to seize control and incorporate much of Syphax's territory into his own domain.^[20]^[21] This outcome facilitated Scipio's broader campaign in North Africa by eliminating a key Carthaginian ally and securing Numidian support for Rome.^[20] The primary account derives from Livy, whose narrative in Ab Urbe Condita Book 30 draws on earlier Roman annalists, though Polybius provides corroborating but briefer details on the pursuit and capture.^[20]

Capture, Death, and Immediate Aftermath

Imprisonment and Fate in Rome

Following his defeat and capture at the Battle of Cirta in 203 BC, Syphax was handed over to the Roman commander Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus and transported to Rome as a prisoner by Scipio's legate Gaius Laelius, accompanied by other high-ranking captives.^[22] Upon arrival, the Roman Senate decreed public thanksgiving for the victory, but Syphax remained in custody, his royal status affording no release amid ongoing hostilities with Carthage.^[23] Syphax was confined initially at Alba Fucens, a fortified site used for detaining important prisoners, before being relocated to Tibur (modern Tivoli), approximately 20 miles east of Rome, where conditions were somewhat less severe but still restrictive.^[22] Roman policy toward defeated foreign monarchs typically involved prolonged detention to symbolize subjugation and deter rebellion, with Syphax's case aligning with precedents like the internment of other barbarian leaders until their utility or threat diminished.^[24] He died in captivity at Tibur around 202 BC, reportedly unable to endure the humiliation of his overthrow and imprisonment, succumbing to a malady attributed to grief and despair by ancient accounts.^[25] Livy records this as a self-inflicted decline, emphasizing Syphax's inability to bear the reversal from kingship to captivity, though no evidence suggests suicide or execution; his death precluded any role in Scipio's delayed triumph of 194 BC.^[22] Valerius Maximus later noted the Senate's honorable burial of his remains as a gesture toward his former sovereignty, underscoring Roman pragmatism in handling defeated foes.^[24]

Territorial Consequences and Succession

Following Syphax's defeat and capture by Masinissa's forces at the Battle of Cirta in 203 BC, his capital city surrendered after he was paraded in chains beneath its walls, allowing Masinissa to seize control of the Masaesyli heartland in western Numidia.^[26] Masinissa, with Roman approval under Scipio Africanus, promptly annexed these territories, incorporating them into his own Massylii domain in eastern Numidia and establishing the first unified Numidian kingdom spanning from the Moulouya River to modern Constantine. Syphax's son Vermina initially retained control over remnants of the Masaesyli lands and aligned with Carthage, leading a Numidian contingent of approximately 15,000 cavalry and infantry to support Hasdrubal in late 203 BC.^[27] Vermina's forces were decisively defeated by Roman legions near Simitthu before they could link with the main Carthaginian army, further eroding Masaesyli resistance.^[28] By the Treaty of Zama in 202 BC, following Carthage's surrender, Masinissa's control over the former Masaesyli territories was formalized, with Rome recognizing his expanded realm as a client kingdom in exchange for military loyalty. No direct dynastic succession occurred in the Masaesyli line, as Vermina's defeat and Syphax's death in Roman captivity at Tibur (modern Tivoli) in 202 BC extinguished viable claims, paving the way for Masinissa's unchallenged rule until his death in 148 BC. This realignment shifted Numidia from a divided, opportunistic buffer state—prone to shifting alliances between Rome and Carthage—to a consolidated pro-Roman power, bolstering Roman influence in North Africa during the subsequent decades.^[29]

Legacy and Historical Assessment

Role in Numidian Unification and Roman Expansion

Syphax, as king of the Masaesyli tribe in western Numidia, maintained a rival kingdom to Masinissa's Massylii in the east, perpetuating fragmentation among Numidian tribes during the early Second Punic War (218–201 BC).^[1] His territorial control and alliances, initially with Rome around 213 BC before shifting to Carthage, prevented Masinissa from consolidating power over the region, as the two kings engaged in mutual raids and invasions that destabilized Numidian unity.^[10] Syphax's dominance in the west, bolstered by Carthaginian support after his marriage to Sophonisba in 206 BC, positioned him as a key obstacle to any centralized Numidian state under a single ruler.^[1] The decisive defeats of Syphax by combined Roman-Numidian forces under Publius Cornelius Scipio and Masinissa in 203 BC, particularly at the Battle of the Great Plains and the subsequent capture of Cirta, enabled Masinissa to annex the Masaesyli territories, achieving the first unification of Numidia into a cohesive kingdom stretching from the Mulucha River to the Syrtes.^[1] This consolidation transformed Numidia from divided tribal entities into a unified monarchy allied with Rome, with Masinissa receiving Roman recognition of his expanded realm as a reward for his military contributions.^[10] Syphax's removal as a rival thus inadvertently facilitated Numidian centralization, shifting the balance from Carthaginian dependencies to a pro-Roman entity capable of fielding thousands of cavalry. In the context of Roman expansion, Syphax's downfall neutralized a potent Carthaginian proxy in North Africa, allowing Scipio to leverage unified Numidian forces—estimated at up to 6,000 cavalry—at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC, where they outmaneuvered Hannibal's elephants and flanks, securing Carthage's surrender.^[1] The resulting Treaty of 201 BC imposed harsh terms on Carthage, including territorial cessions that indirectly benefited Roman influence, while Masinissa's kingdom served as a buffer state and client ally, deterring Punic resurgence and enabling gradual Roman encroachment into the Maghreb over the following century.^[10] Without Syphax's defeat, the fragmented Numidian landscape might have prolonged Carthaginian resistance, delaying Rome's establishment of the province of Africa Proconsularis by 146 BC after the Third Punic War.^[1]

Sources, Biases, and Debates on Motivations

The primary ancient sources for Syphax's reign and alliances are Polybius' Histories (Books 11–14), which draw on accounts from Roman participants in the Second Punic War, and Livy's Ab Urbe Condita (Books 24–30), which expands on Polybius with added rhetorical flourish.^[1] Additional references appear in Appian (Punic Wars) and later epitomes like those of Justin and Orosius, often recycling earlier material.^[10] Polybius, composing around 150 BCE, offers the most direct proximity to events (ca. 218–203 BCE), incorporating diplomacy details such as Scipio Africanus' 206 BCE visit to Syphax's court, where the Numidian king initially favored Roman overtures. Livy, writing a century later, emphasizes dramatic episodes like Syphax's marriage to Sophonisba, portraying it as a pivot point in his defection. These sources exhibit inherent biases stemming from their Roman-aligned perspectives: Polybius, though Greek and analytical, justifies Roman expansion by framing Numidian shifts as opportunistic betrayals, while Livy amplifies moral contrasts, depicting Syphax as swayed by personal vice (e.g., lust for Sophonisba) to underscore Roman virtue and discipline.^[1] Such portrayals align with Roman historiographical tendencies to delegitimize defeated foes, potentially understating Syphax's agency in favor of narratives glorifying Scipio and Masinissa. Modern assessments note Polybius' relative reliability due to his access to eyewitnesses, contrasting Livy's later embellishments for Augustan-era audiences, which prioritize exempla over strict chronology. Debates center on Syphax's motivations for allying with Carthage ca. 206 BCE, after initial Roman support from 213 BCE. Territorial rivalry with Masinissa, who controlled eastern Numidia and defected to Rome, likely drove the switch, as Carthage offered military aid to reclaim contested lands; Polybius records Syphax regaining territories post-205 BCE victories.^[10] The marriage to Sophonisba—daughter of Carthaginian Hasdrubal Gisco, arranged to cement the pact—fuels contention: Livy attributes Syphax's pro-Carthaginian zeal to her influence, suggesting emotional manipulation, whereas Polybius frames it as calculated diplomacy amid shifting war fortunes (e.g., Hannibal's Italian stalemate).^[1] Scholars debate if this reflects genuine strategic realism—Syphax's mediation efforts in 203 BCE, proposing mutual evacuations of Italy and Africa—or mere opportunism, with some arguing Roman sources overemphasize the romance to diminish Numidian political acumen. Evidence leans toward pragmatic self-interest, as Syphax's earlier Roman treaty targeted Carthaginian-backed Massylii incursions, indicating alliances followed power balances rather than ideology.^[10]

References

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Apr 23, 2020 · Syphax or Sophax: king of the Masaeisylians in Numidia (last quarter of the third century BCE). Coin of Syphax, showing an unidentified man and a horse.
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Feb 27, 2018 · ... Syphax (died c. 202 BCE), king of the Masaesyli, first an ally of ... The pyramids of Numidia date from this period as does the Royal ...
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Livy's History of Rome: Book 24
So between Syphax and the Romans friendly relations were established. As soon as the Carthaginians heard what was going on, they sent envoys to Gala, who ...
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THE IMPACT OF THE CARTHAGINIANS AND THE ROMANS ... - jstor
The control of the kingdom of the Masaesyli in the third century B.C. depended on the military strength of the contestants. 8 Livy, XXX. 37. 4: Masinissae res ...
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Syphax | Numidian Ruler, Punic War Leader - Britannica
Syphax was the king of the Masaesyli, a Numidian tribe (in North Africa). Formerly a Carthaginian dependent, he rebelled in 214 bc in consultation with ...
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Syphax's army is inaccurately reported as 60,000 men, with actual figures closer to 50,200 infantry and 9,700 cavalry. Casualty estimates vary: Appian reports ...
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Livy and Polybius - Biases? - Roman Army Talk
Jun 12, 2019 · The difference between Hasdrubal's army and Syphax's army as given by Polybius amounts to 20,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry. Syphax 50000 ...Number of legions at Zama - Roman Army TalkInterpreting Polybius' description on a formation - RomanArmyTalkMore results from www.romanarmytalk.comMissing: composition | Show results with:composition
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Jul 15, 2020 · Syphax ... The latter, being greatly exasperated, made an alliance with Scipio in Spain, concealing it from Hasdrubal, as he supposed.<|separator|>
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Apr 24, 2019 · King Syphax of the Masaesyli began leading raids against Carthage and the Massylii. The Roman generals leading the Republic's forces in Spain, ...
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Masinissa - Heritage History
Although he was an ally of Carthage for most of the Second Punic War ... Switched alliances to Rome during the Second Punic War, gained Syphax's kingdom in West ...
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205/16 Syphax defeats Masinissa and drives him out of his kingdom. 204/26 Scipio moves a short distance inland, and is joined by Masinissa.
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Apr 16, 2020 · §12: Massinissa's war against Syphax and Carthage. 3, §13: Scipio ... §68: Carthage's conflict with Massinissa §69: Cato visits Carthage
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Mar 26, 2020 · Sophonisba was the daughter of a Carthaginian nobleman named Hasdrubal, who is usually called "the son of Gesco" to distinguish him from his namesake and ...
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1, ROM {March -R} The new consuls enter office, and are given command of the war in Italy. @ +Liv_30.1'1-2'13. 2, AFR Scipio makes a successful night attack ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Mar 17, 2023 · The Romans defeated the Carthaginians. To successfully end the war, the Sons of the Wolf had to attack Carthage on its territory.
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https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0151%3Abook%3D30%3Achapter%3D11
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Sep 22, 2020 · Among the captives was also Syphax's wife Sophonisba (daughter of Hasdrubal), with whom Massinissa had once been engaged. He now married her, ...
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Scipio, sending Caius Lælius, with Syphax and the other prisoners, to Rome ... The death of Syphax caused some diminution in the splendour of the show, but ...
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Jun 6, 2017 · Publius Cornelius Scipio annihilates the armies of Hasdrubal and Syphax in a night attack near Utica;; Scipio again defeats Hasdrubal and Syphax ...
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Valerius Maximus, Book 5 (a) - ATTALUS
This also was no small testimony of the senate, that when Syphax, formerly a most prosperous king of Numidia, but now their prisoner, died in prison at Tibur ...
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Livy, History of Rome - ToposText
'49 [5] This proved to be a death-sentence, for they say that he was unable to endure the disgrace and grief, and was carried off by a fatal malady. Sp ...
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Cirta was Syphax's capital, and a considerable number escaped to that city. The losses sustained were insignificant compared with the importance of the ...
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202/15 A force of Numidians led by Vermina is completely defeated by the 200/11 an embassy to Carthage, Masinissa, and Vermina the son of Syphax ← Search ...
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Oct 11, 2019 · As the latter was on his way to Tunis he was informed that Vermina, the son of Syphax, was coming to the aid of the Carthaginians with a force ...
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Cirta was the capital of the kingdom of Syphax, b.c. 203and to that city came a vast number of men from the rout. Masinissa said that, while for himself ...