Juba I of Numidia

Juba I of Numidia backed Pompey against Caesar and killed himself in a duel after losing. He succeeded his father Hiempsal II around 60 BC as king of a large and wealthy North African kingdom west of the Roman province of Africa. His enmity with Caesar was personal as well as political. Caesar had defended Hiempsal's opponents in a Roman court, and when Juba came to Rome as a young man to plead his father's case, Caesar is said to have pulled his beard during the argument. The tribune Curio, a Caesarian, later proposed annexing Numidia outright. He therefore declared for Pompey when the civil war began. In 49 BC Curio landed in Africa with two legions to take the province for Caesar, and moved inland believing Juba was distant. Juba concealed his main force, sent a detachment forward as bait, and destroyed almost the entire Roman army near the Bagradas river; Curio was killed. After Pharsalus the surviving optimates — Cato, Metellus Scipio, Labienus — gathered in Africa with Juba as their most powerful ally. He supplied cavalry, infantry and elephants, and behaved as their equal, which offended them. Caesar landed in 46 BC and destroyed the coalition at Thapsus in April; the elephants panicked and broke back through their own line. Juba fled with the Roman commander Petreius. Finding the towns closed to him, the two dined and then fought each other with swords by agreement. Petreius died first, and Juba had a slave finish him. His infant son was raised in Rome and became a scholar-king.

• Lived: 85 BCE – 46 BCE
• Nationality: Numidian
• Roles: ruler