The Jugurthine War 112–106 BC

The fascinating story of Republican Rome's gruelling six-year campaign against the insurgent Numidian warlord, Jugurtha.

The Jugurthine War 112–106 BC tells the tale of Jugurtha, the adoptive son of Micipsa, king of the Numidians, who was initially a much-respected ally of Rome. He fought gallantly alongside the Romans during the Numantine War in Iberia. However, during the course of the campaign, the ambitious and hot-headed Jugurtha fell in with more unsavoury company. They urged him to stage a coup d’etat and wrest control of Numidia from the legitimate heirs to the throne.

Although warned not to consort with some of Rome’s more crooked governing elites, Jugurtha ignored this advice, which led to a civil war. In response to Jugurtha's acts of aggression, Rome decided to go to war. Among the commanders proving their worth against this formidable opponent were Quintus Metellus and Caius Marius.

In this book, classical historian Dr Nic Fields narrates the events of a bruising six-year campaign against the wily, elusive Jugurtha. He explores how Roman military performance was hampered by petty rivalries, knee-jerk partisanship, and grubby jostling between commanders.

With photographs and artwork bringing the clashes in North Africa to life, the maps and diagrams provide essential context for this lengthy campaign. The war constituted an important stage in the Roman subjugation of North Africa and the rise of the empire.