Mauretania and Numidia, Juba I, d. 46 BC

Mauretania and Numidia, Juba I, d. 46 BC 

AR Denarius, 60-46 BC

Obverse: REX.IVBA Diademed and draped bust right, sceptre over shoulder

Reverse: IOBA HMMLKT ("Yubai Hammamleket") Octastyle temple on base with steps. 

Reference: GCV# 6607, CNNM# 84-85, MAA# 29, Mitch AC# 84, SNG Cop# 523

Size: 19mm. Weight: 3,86 g Conservation: Good Very Fine

ex. Bank Leu, Zürich, list 21, May 1986 -

Juba I of Numidia (c. 85–46 BC) was a king of Numidia modern day Algeria (reigned 60–46 BC). He was the son and successor to Hiempsal II. In 81 BC Hiempsal had been driven from his throne; soon afterwards, Pompey was sent to Africa by Sulla to reinstate him as king in Numidia, and because of this Hiempsal and later Juba became Pompey's allies. This alliance was strengthened during a visit by Juba to Rome, when Julius Caesar insulted him by pulling on his beard during a trial when Caesar was defending his client against Juba's father, and still further in 50 BC, when the tribune Gaius Scribonius Curio openly proposed that Numidia should be sold privately.

In August 49 BC, Caesar sent Curio to take Africa from the Republicans. Curio was overconfident and held Publius Attius Varus (Varus), the governor of Africa, in low esteem. Curio took fewer legions than he had been given. In the Battle of the Bagradas the same year, Curio led his army in a bold, uphill attack which swiftly routed Varus's army and wounded 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 escaped on their ships, and King Juba took several senators captive back to Numidia for display and execution.

With the arrival of Caesar in Africa, Juba originally planned to join Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio Nasica, but his kingdom was invaded from the west by Caesar's ally Bocchus II and an Italian adventurer, Publius Sittius. He therefore left only 30 elephants behind and marched home to save his country.

Scipio knew he could not fight without more troops, and sent a desperate message to Juba for assistance. Juba immediately left the command of his kingdom's defence with Saburra, and joined Scipio with three legions, around 15,000 light infantry, 1000 cavalry and 30 elephants for the Battle of Thapsus. However, he 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 Marcus Petreius and finding their retreat cut off, they made a suicide pact and engaged in one on one combat. The idea was that one would meet an honourable death. Sources vary on the outcome, but it is most likely that Petreius killed Juba and then committed suicide with the assistance of a slave

King Juba I of Numidia sided with the 'Republican' faction against Julius Caesar during the battles for North Africa. He was ultimately defeated (Thapsus) and committed suicide. His son, Juba II, was taken back to Rome for Caesar's triple-triumph. Many years later Juba II was 'restored' to the throne by Augustus as a puppet-ruler. Since Numidia had clearly thrown in her lot with Rome with the waning of the Ptolemaic and Punic societies, it is interesting to note the bilingualism of these issues. Punic script would very shortly die out as Africa became Romanized.

The use of the word REX, in Latin, as well as the direct use of the King's portrait, on what is ostensibly a denarius, is interesting - only a few short years later, Caesar's use of his own portrait along with the term 'dictator for life' became one of the reasons for his assassination. One wonders how a coin with such an autocratic message, in the language of the Romans, would have been received by Juba's "Republican'"allies

Référence : GCV 6607

Source : https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces7...

Collection : XIV b - Obscure Kings, Satraps and Rulers