v25_0135 - NUMIDIE - CIRTA Unité, (MB, Æ 27)

NUMIDIA - CIRTA

(1st century BC)

The first mention of the city of Cirta goes back to Polybius (XXXVI, 16, 10) on the occasion of the death of Masinissa in 148 BC. Micipsa, successor of Masinissa embellished the city which could have counted more than 150,000 inhabitants according to Strabo. Cirta was the most important city of the Numidian kings, often disputed as during the war of Jugurtha. After the defeat of Juba I, Cirta was entrusted to an adventurer P. Sittius who kept it for two years before being assassinated.