Numidians

Numidians ( Latin numidae , ancient Greek νομαδιoς from ancient Greek νομαδος , “nomads”) are the Greek-Roman name of the Berber tribes who lived in the territory of modern Tunisia and Algeria . Their other (and more ancient) name is the ethnonym “ maxi ” or “ maxitane ”.

On the territory that belonged to them, the Phoenicians founded their colonies - Utica , Hippone Acre , Gadroumet and Carthage . In 814 BC their leader Yarbas was married to the Carthaginian owner Elissa , perhaps hoping to get her city in the "dowry", but unsuccessfully ^[1] . According to some reports, after the death of Elissa, the Carthaginians were forced to fight, and the war ended not in favor of the Phoenicians - until the 1950s. 6th century BC. er Carthage paid tribute to neighbors. Over time, however, Numidians pushed aside from the coast, and they themselves became allies of the Punians — at the end of the 6th century BC. er together they struggled with the attempts of the Greeks to establish their colonies on the African coast.

At least until the 3rd century BC. er There was a division of Numidians into “ masil ” (eastern numidians) and “ masses ” (western numidians). With the help of the Romans, the leader of the massesils, Masinissa, united under his rule all the Numidians, creating an independent state - Numidia ( 201 BC ). Under the reign of Masinissa, active urbanization of the tribes began, and the nomads began to move to settled life, sometimes forcibly. However, part of the Numidians was in the territory of the Roman province of Africa , and in 46 BC. er the territory of the Kingdom of Numiida became part of Rome, forming the province of New Africa .

However, unofficially, the latter continued to be called Numidia, therefore, by the word Numidians began to understand its inhabitants, and not only ethnic Numidians. Since the late Roman Empire, the ethnonym "Numidians" gradually displaces the name " Berbers " ( ancient Greek βαρβαροι , Latin barbari ) from βάρβαρος, barbarus - "barbarian" or the Berber proper ber ber - "to wander within the tribe".