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Jugurthine War Causes

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The Jugurthine War lasted from 112 - 105 BC after Jugurtha killed both of his cousins so that he could have the kingdom to rule for himself. Before Jugurtha, Rome and Numidia were allies after his grandfather Massinissa allied Numidia to Rome after the Second Punic War. The Jugurthine War was a war between Numidia and Rome, led by Jugurtha and various commanders, ending with Gaius Marius. The Jugurthine War lasted for almost a decade after there were many changes in commanders and delays in the war due to bribery allegations. When the war was over, after Sulla and Bocchus had made a plan to capture Jugurtha and send him to Rome, the senate’s reputation was badly damaged and in the end it showed the corruption of the ruling party which was sending the …show more content…

It can be said that Jugurtha is held responsible for the war to breakout in 112 BC after he executed both of his cousins so that he could claim and rule Numidia. After rumours of bribery in the Senate spread throughout Rome war was declared and he was betrayed, captured and executed a year later.

Jugurtha, born in c.160 BC, was the son of Mastanabal and the grandson of Massinissa the Numidian king that was responsible for uniting Numidia and allying it to Rome after the Second Punic War, to which Massinissa went over to Rome in 206 BCE, receiving further territory. Throughout Jugurtha’s innocence Massinissa would raid Carthaginian land claiming that it was his knowing Rome would always help. In 151 The Carthaginians announced war upon the Numidian’s, although sadly Massinissa did not live to see the fall of Carthage and loyal to Rome even after his death, he asked the Roman commander Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus to subdivide the kingdom among his three sons Micipsa, Gulussa and Mastanabal. The three continued their father’s rule and supported Rome during its war against Carthage. Jugurtha’s father Mastanabal and uncle Gulussa seem to have died not too long after leaving

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