the illegitimate son of Manatbal, the brother of Micipha. Micipha and Manatbal were the sons of Massinissa king of Numidia. Micipha, 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; Jugurtha showed himself brave and active, and he endeared himself to the Roman general. Micipha appointed him successor to his kingdom with his two sons; but the kindness of the father proved fatal to the children. Jugurtha 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 Jugurtha's gold prevailed among the senators, and the suppliant monarch, forsaken in his distress, perished by the fancies of his enemy. Cæcilius Metellus was at last sent against Jugurtha; and his firmness and success soon reduced the crafty Numidian, obliging him to fly among his savage neighbours for support. Marius and Sylla succeeded Metellus, and fought with equal success. Jugurtha was at last betrayed by his father-in-law Bocchus, from whom he claimed assistance; and he was delivered into the hands of Sylla 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.