Adherbal 4

vol. I p.359

4) Adherbal

The eldest son of the Numidian king Micipsa. <40> After Micipsa died, Adhubal, his brother Hiempsal, and his cousin Jugurtha, all became heirs to the kingdom (Sallust. Iug. 5, 7ff. 9, 4. Liv. epit. 62. Diod. fr. XXXIV 35). Once Jugurtha had defeated and killed Hiempsal, Adhubal took up arms in 637 = 117, but was defeated by Jugurtha and fled to Rome. The senate arranged for the kingdom of Numidia to be divided, and Adhubal received the eastern half (639 = 115. Sallust. Iug. 13-16). <50> Despite this, shortly afterwards Adhubal was attacked by Jugurtha: at first, he tried to avoid a war, because he considered himself the weaker one. However, he was finally forced to put up a defense against Jugurtha when he invaded with a considerable army. He was utterly defeated at his capital Cirta, and was barely able to safely make it into the city alive. He called upon the senate in Rome, and they send two embassies to try to put an end to the war. Jugurtha was unmoved, and continued with his siege on Cirta, and the Italians who were present forced Adherbal to surrender. <60> Completely ignoring the treaty, Jugurtha decided to have him and all the rest of the people he had captured killed in 642 = 112 (Sall. Iug. 20-26. Liv. epit. 62. 63).

[Niese.]