Numidian army
 |
| Numidian Army | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1274 BC–46 BC (1,228 years) |
| Country | Ancient Numidia Kingdom of Massylii Kingdom of Masaesyli Kingdom of Numidia |
| Headquarters | Hippo Regius Cirta Siga Zama Regia |
| Engagements | Punic Wars Jugurthine War Battle of Oroscopa Battle of Kadesh Numidian–Carthaginian War Mercenary War Second Punic War Sicilian Wars Caesar's Civil War Siege of Numantia |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-chief | King. Prince. General (1274 BC–46 BC) |
| Notable commanders | Iarbas Ailymas Naravas Maharbal Syphax Masinissa Jugurtha Juba I Gulussa Bomilcar Saburra |
The Numidian Army was the military force established by the Kings of Numidia in North Africa during the Ancient ages, and it was a major power in the Mediterranean. The name of the Numidians emerged in warfare as early as 1274 BC during the Battle of Kadesh,[1] where Numidian cavalry fought as allies of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II against the Hittites.[2][3][4] The second mention of the Numidians, according to Ovid Fasti and Virgil in his epic The Aeneid, comes during the reign of King Iarbas I in the 9th or 8th century BC, when he launched a military campaign against Carthage and laid siege to it.[5][6] The Numidian Army ruled North Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to Cyrenaica on the borders of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.[7]
Structure and Composition
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The Numidian army consisted of war elephants[8] used by Jugurtha and Juba I, along with light and heavy cavalry and light and heavy infantry, and war generals, the most famous of whom were Bomilcar and Saburra. Chariots were employed by the Numidian king Ailymas during the Greco–Punic Wars when he allied with Agathocles of Syracuse.[9][10] In addition, a naval fleet was deployed to protect merchant ships and guard strategic areas, ports, and the coasts of Numidia.[11][12]
The Numidian Army's Role in Warfare
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The Numidian armies played a decisive role in the Punic Wars, particularly the Numidian cavalry under the command of the Numidian leader Maharbal,[13] whom the Carthaginian general Mago Barca considered the strongest element in Hannibal’s army during his campaign in Italy.[14] The Numidian army reached its peak under King Masinissa after defeating Syphax and uniting Numidia, forming a massive and well-organized force that he led in the Numidian–Carthaginian Wars (201–146 BC).[15]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
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