Fields, Nic/Capparoni, Marco (Illustr.) The Jugurthine War 112-106 BC. Rome's Long War in North Africa

Jugurtha, the adopted son of Micipsa, king of the Numidians, was initially a respected ally of Rome and fought valiantly alongside the Romans during the Numantine War in Iberia. In the course of the campaign, however, the ambitious and hot-headed Jugurtha fell into unpleasant company, which urged him to stage a coup d'état and wrest control of Numidia from the rightful heirs to the throne. Although he was warned not to join forces with some of Rome's crooked ruling elite, this advice fell on deaf ears and sparked a civil war. Rome then decided to go to war to punish Jugurtha for his aggression. Among the generals who proved themselves against this formidable opponent were Quintus Metellus and Caius Marius. In this book, ancient historian Dr Nic Fields describes the events of a six-year campaign against the cunning and elusive Jugurtha. He examines how the Romans' military performance was marred by petty rivalries, rash partisanship and dirty squabbles between commanders. Photographs and artwork bring the clashes in North Africa to life, and the maps and diagrams provide context for this protracted campaign. The war represented an important stage in the Roman subjugation of North Africa and the rise of the empire.