Masinissa

Masinissa

, Massinissa

?238--?149 bc, king of Numidia (?210--149), who fought as an ally of Rome against Carthage in the Second Punic War

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Masinissa

 

Born circa 240 B.C.; died circa 149 B.C. King of Numidia from 201 to 149 B.C. Son of the ruler of eastern Numidia.

Masinissa was educated in Carthage. During the Second Punic War (218-201), he at first (from 213) supported the Carthaginians, but about 206 he went over to the Roman side and with their help became the sole ruler of all Numidia (having inherited eastern Numidia upon the death of his father in about 205). During Masinissa’s reign, the Numidian kingdom was greatly strengthened: the borders were expanded, towns grew up, and trade with the entire Mediterranean area increased. After Masinissa’s death, the Romans divided the kingdom among three of his sons.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.