Before 213 BC, the Numidians had no infantry. Around that time, the centurion Q. Statorius, sent by Scipio Africanus, formed an infantry at the request of King Syphax. He taught them Roman military tactics, including camp construction,as the Romans aimed to gain Syphax’s support. Troop recruitment was conducted by governors who operated under the authority of the Numidian monarch and simultaneously held command over garrisons stationed in the cities where they were based. The majority of soldiers in Numidian armies were not professional, but rather ordinary farmers. Consequently, it was common for many recruits to desert in order to tend to their fields when needed. The only stable component was the elite royal guard, primarily composed of cavalry, along with archers and slingers, organized into squadrons led by officers and under unit standards. In his ‘African Book,’ Appian praises the exceptional training of these men, describing them as a numerous and well-trained army. Massinissa had his army undergo continuous day and night maneuvers, led by experienced warriors. New recruits, to bolster their physical endurance, also practiced horsemanship, running, and hunting, which effectively simulated combat. This effectiveness is particularly highlighted by Caesar’s initial intervention in Africa, which ended in failure. Juba I’s army, augmented by Spanish and Gallic troops, overcame the forces of C. Cribonius Curio, and the king emerged as the victor in Utica, at the expense of his Pompeian allies themselves. Eventually, he left the province after asserting his dominance and recruiting the remaining German and Gaulish cavalry of Curio. Attius Varus refrained from making any objections, and the Senate bestowed upon the king the title of ally and friend of the Roman people.
Another example is the discipline in Saburra’s forces under Juba I’s command. In an engagement with the Romans, front-line troops, following Saburra’s orders, strategically feigned a retreat before promptly resuming their attack.
This new infantry consisted of lightly armed soldiers wielding javelins or spears, generally without armor. Some of them, possibly officers, carried a sword of the Iberian ‘atrophied antennae’ type, along with an oval shield (thyreos type) and, on occasion, conical helmets.
The emergence of light infantry allowed them to develop new combat tactics that notably caught Caesar’s forces by surprise. Indeed, the Numidian cavalry played a major role, but this time, the maneuvers of the light infantry complemented their attack and retreat tactics.
As his troops advanced,the Numidian cavalry retreated,apparently leaving their infantry exposed. Yet, once the legionnaires engaged the Numidian foot soldiers, the enemy cavalry swiftly charged again, causing significant casualties to Caesar’s forces drawn out of their formations.
Numidian riders start horseback training early, spending much of their youth on horseback. The bond they form with their steeds is so strong that some authors note how the horses would follow their master like dogs. Their main equipment consists of javelins and small round shields with a protruding circular boss, similar to the Iberian caetra, which they usually cover with animal hide. Strabo also mentions the presence of daggers. They are also known for not using a saddle or bit, but instead employing only a rod or a collar made of plant fibers or horsehair to steer their horses. Nonetheless, Roman authors highlight their agility and speed. The most common tactic employed by Numidian cavalry was to charge the enemy, feign a retreat, and then launch a surprise attack from the rear. This tactic proved highly effective, to the extent that Livy stated that Numidian cavalry was the Roman’s most feared enemy.
and by far the foremost equestrian force in Africa. Livy also reported that they carried two horses and frequently switched from the tired mount to the fresh one, often during the most intense moments of the skirmish. Another of their custom was to cut the tendons in the thighs, calves and hocks of enemy riders from the bottom up, using their daggers. And so, after unhorsing them, they left them to bleed to death.
Regarding the armament of the Numidian monarch, insights can be gleaned from artifacts found at the mausoleum of Es Soumâa (possibly king Micipsa). Notably, these discoveries included a distinctive double-edged iron sword with an ivory hilt and a unique scabbard.
But also 8 javelin points and iron spears. The sword exhibits similarities with models found in northern Spain, especially those from the Numantia site dating from the late IA. The scabbard was crafted from wood and covered with leather, all secured by 160 copper and iron rivets. Gunter Ulbert perceives influences from Iberian, Celtic, and Roman Republican armaments on the Numidian weaponry found in the mausoleum. It also revealed a conical iron helmet with sculpted earpieces; as of now, there are no comparable elements, making it a unique piece. Alongside this helmet, an iron chainmail shirt was also unearthed, an armor predominantly worn by the Celts and less frequently in Roman armies. Yet, the one from the mausoleum distinguishes itself with an exceptionally fine mesh, unlike any contemporary counterparts. From the time of Massinissa, the Numidians began using war elephants (Juba I could field up to 120 of them). During his reign, these elephants were equipped with turrets and it is known that during Jugurtha’s era, artillery was employed for the defense of Numidian cities. As for its numerical significance, we only know that during the reign of Micipsa, the Numidian capital Cirta housed 200k inhabitants and was capable of providing 10k cavalry and 20k infantry soldiers. This logically implies that the Numidian army could deploy much more soldiers.
Two terracotta figurines discovered in Canosa, Italy depicting Numidian horsemen. They were decorations belonging to a large funerary vase. They date back to the late 4th or early 3rd century BC, representing the oldest evidence of Numidian horsemen in Italy.
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