JUGURTHA, the illegitimate son of Manastabal the brother of Micipsa. Micipsa and Manastabal were the sons of Masinissa king of Numidia. Micipsa, who had inherited his father's kingdom, educated his nephew with his two sons Adherbal and Hiempsal; but as he saw that the former was of an aspiring disposition, he sent him with a body of troops to the assistance of Scipio, who was besieging Numantia, hoping to lose a youth whose ambition seemed to threaten the tranquillity of his children. His hopes were frustrated; Jugurth showed himself brave and active, and he endeared himself to the Roman general. Micipsa appointed him successor to his kingdom with his two sons; but the kindness of the father proved fatal to the children. Jugurth destroyed Hiempsal, and stripped Adherbal of his possessions, and obliged him to fly to Rome for safety. The Romans listened to the well-grounded complaints of Adherbal; but Jugurth's gold prevailed among the senators, and the suppliant monarch, forsaken in his distress, perished by the snares of his enemy. Cæcilius Metellus was at last sent against Jugurth; and his firmness and success soon reduced the crafty Numidian, obliging him to fly among his savage neighbours for support. Marius and Sulla succeeded Metellus, and fought with equal success. Jugurth was at last betrayed by his father-in-law Bocchus, from whom he claimed assistance; and he was delivered into the hands of Sulla 106 years before the Christian era. He was exposed to the view of the Roman people, and dragged in chains to adorn the triumph of Marius. He was afterwards put in a prison, where he died six days after of hunger.