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Under the peace treaty concluded at the end of the Second Punic War, Carthage was forced to pay heavy financial indemnities over a period of 50 years, and forbidden to go to war without the Roman Senate’s permission. King Massinissa of Numidia seized the opportunity to conquer more and more Carthaginian territories, while Carthage was unable to defend itself. Close to 50 years after its defeat, Carthage, certainly encouraged by the fact that their war indemnities would soon be lifted, finally reacted.
Context
As the end of the payment of its war indemnities was getting closer, the Carthaginian elite was divided on the future of the city. One faction, heir to Hanno the Great (who died in 193), wished to maintain a policy of appeasing Rome. Another faction, led by Hannibal the Starling, favored closer cooperation with Massinissa and Numidia. A last faction, led by Hamilcar the Samnite, aspired to bring Carthage back to its former glory.
The Numidian-Carthaginian War
In 151, Hamilcar the Samnite and his nationalist party managed to exile 40 members of the pro-Numidian party from Carthage. They fled to Massinissa’s court, in Cirta. The king sent his two sons Micipsa and Gulussa to Carthage, to negotiate their return. The Carthaginian authorities, exasperated by Massinissa’s ongoing conquests, refused to let them enter the city. Hamilcar the Samnite even set up an ambush against Gulussa, killing several members of his convoy.
Such an affront could not remain unpunished: Massinissa immediately assembled his army to invade the Carthaginian territory. Carthage also raised an army to defend itself, in violation of the peace treaty.
Just before battle, two Numidian chieftains, Suba and Asasis, defected and joined the Carthaginian side with their 6000 horsemen. Even with those reinforcements, the Carthaginian army was defeated at the Battle of Oroscopa.
At the same time, the Roman tribune Scipio Aemilianus came to visit Massinissa, to obtain war elephants. The Carthaginians called on him to negotiate an armistice. To this effect, Massinissa demanded that the Numidian deserters be delivered to him, but Carthage refused.
The Carthaginian army was now too weak to continue fighting. Massinissa besieged the Carthaginian camp, seeking to starve them. Carthage was forced to give in, delivering the Numidian deserters and allowing the return of the Carthaginian exiles.
Consequences
While Carthage didn’t lose any territory in this war, its consequences were disastrous: when Rome got the news, the Roman Senate threatened reprisals against Carthage, for its violation of the peace treaty.
A Carthaginian delegation was sent to Rome in 149, to try to negotiate a peaceful solution. A member of this delegation was called Hamilcar, but the sources don’t mention whether it was the same Hamilcar who caused the conflict to start again. The negotiations failed, and shortly afterwards, the Roman army was at the gates of Carthage.
