Obv. Laureate and bearded head to left.
Rev. Horse galloping to left.
Bronze, 15,31, 27,8 mm. MAA 18a; Mazzard 50; SNG Copenhagen 505. Almost Very Fine, on the reverse, a hole re-drilled by the Tuareg in order to make the coin into an ornament.
Masinissa was the king of the Massylii (East Numidians) and played an important role in the course of the Second Punic War. Initially, he fought in Spain on the side of Carthage as a soldier of Hasdrubal Giscon. Later, when his father - King Gaia of Massylii died - the struggle for the throne began. First, the brother of the late king, Oezalces, became king, but because he died quickly of old age, the throne was taken over by Kapussa, the elder of his two sons. The latter, in turn, was killed after a short time by a representative of the side line of the dynasty - Mazetullus. The second of the sons of Oezalces - Lakumazes - became the king, but in practice Mazutellus, who was supposed to be his guardian, was in charge. Mazetullus married Hannibal's niece and renewed friendly relations with Syphax, king of the Masaesyli (West Numidians), who had previously fought for Rome against Carthage. Masinissa, wanting to regain his inheritance, returned to Africa in 205 BC. Scipio the Younger, later Africanus, took advantage of this and, helping him defeat Syphax and Hasdrubal, made him an allied king and called him a friend of the Roman people. So, there was a kind of allied castling - Syphax, originally an ally of Rome, now fought on the side of Carthage, and Masinissa, who fought against Rome, now fought against Carthage. According to tradition, his cavalry played an important role in the Battle of Zama, where Scipio defeated Hannibal and sealed Rome's triumph in the Second Punic War. In later years, Masinissa, taking advantage of his friendship with Rome, contributed to the enlargement and development of his state. Among his merits are: the creation of a permanent army, the minting of his own bronze coins in Cyrta, the promotion of a settled lifestyle and land cultivation among the Numids, and the adoption of Punic administrative patterns. After his death in about 148 BC, Scipio Emilianus, as the executor of the will, divided the power in the kingdom between his three sons as equals (the unity of the state and its revenues was to be preserved). Micipsa was given Zirta and royal administration, Gulussa was to command the army, Mastanabal was to exercise jurisdiction. The above coin was minted by Masinissa or the first of the mentioned sons.
