Juba I of Numidia

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Juba I

Juba I of Numidia or Juba I (c. 85 BC-46 BC, reigned 60 BC-46 BC), was a King of Numidia. He was the son and successor to King of Numidia Hiempsal II. Juba was the father of King of Numidia and later Mauretania Juba II (50/52 BC-23), father-in-law of Juba II’s wives Greek Ptolemaic princess Cleopatra Selene II (40 BC-6), Cappodocian princess Glaphyra and paternal grandfather to possible Mauretanian princess Cleopatra of Mauretania, King Ptolemy of Mauretania (1 BC-40) and Mauretanian princess Drusilla of Mauretania (born 5).

In 81 BC Hiempsal had been driven from his throne, soon afterwards, Pompey is sent to Africa by Sulla to reinstate Hiempsal as king in Numidia, because of this Hiempsal and later Juba I become Pompey’s ally. This alliance is strengthened during a visit by Juba to Rome where Julius Caesar insults him by pulling on his beard, and still further in 50 BC, when the tribune Gaius Scribonius Curio openly proposes that Numidia should be sold privately. In August 49 BC, Caesar’s sent Curio to take Africa from the Republicans, over-confidence and holding the governor of Africa, Publius Attius Varus (Varus) in low esteem he takes fewer legions than he has been given. In the Battle of the Bagradas River (49 BC), Curio led his army in a bold, uphill attack which swiftly routed Varus' army and in the process wounds Varus. Encouraged by this success, Curio acted on what proved to be faulty intelligence, and attacked what he believed to be a detachment of Juba's army. In fact, the bulk of the king's forces were there and, after an initial success, Curio's forces were ambushed and virtually annihilated by Saburra (Juba's military commander). Curio was surrounded with the remnants of his troops on a hilltop and died in the fighting. Only a few are able to escape on their ships, and King Juba takes several senator captives back to Numidia for display and execution.

With the arrival of Caesar in Africa, Juba originally planned to join Publius Cornelius Scipio Salvito, but his kingdom was invaded by Bocchus II and Sittius, he therefore left only 30 elephants behind and marched home to save his country.

Scipio knew he couldn't fight without more troops, sent a desperate messages to Juba for assistance. Juba immediately left the command of his kingdom's defence with Sabura, and join Scipio with 3 legions, light infantry, 1000 cavalry and 30 elephants for the Battle of Thapsus but camped away from Scipio's main lines. Seeing the certain defeat of Scipio's army, Juba did not take part in the battle and fled with his 30,000 men. Having fled with the Roman general Petreius and finding their retreat cut off, they engaged in one on one combat. The idea was that one would meet an honourable death. Juba won the fight, then committed suicide, assisted by a slave.