A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

II. (Ἰόβας), king of Mauritania, son of the preceding. He was a mere child at the time of his father's death (B. C. 46), after which event he was carried a prisoner to Rome by Caesar, and compelled to grace the conqueror's triumph. (Appian, App. BC 2.101; Plut. Caes. 55.) In other respects he appears to have been well treated. He was brought up in Italy, where he received an excellent education, and applied himself with such diligence to study, that he turned out one of the most learned men of his day. As he rose to manhood he obtained a high place in the favour of Octavian, whom he accompanied in his expedition to the East; nor did he fail to reap the fruits of this favour, in the general settlement of the affairs of the empire, after the death of Antony (B. C. 30). On that occasion Octavian restored his young friend to the possession of his paternal kingdom of Numidia, at the same time that he gave him in marriage Cleopatra, otherwise called Selene, the daughter of Antony and Cleopatra. (D. C. 51.15; Plut. Ant. 87; Strab. xvii. p.828.) At a subsequent period (B. C. 25) Augustus gave him the two provinces of Mauritania (afterwards called Tingitana and Caesariensis), which had formed the kingdoms of Bocchus and Bogud, in exchange for Numidia, which was reduced to a Roman province. Some of the Gaetulian tribes were at the same time subjected to his sway; and almost the only event of his long reign that we find recorded is an insurrection of these tribes, which assumed so formidable an aspect, that Juba was unable to re press it by his own efforts; and even the Roman general Cornelius Cossus, whom he called in to his assistance, did not succeed in reducing them until after a long protracted struggle, by which he earned the honorary appellation of Gaetulicus. (Dio Cass. liii 26, 4.28; comp. Strab. xvii. pp. 828, 831.) The exact period of his death is nowhere mentioned, but Strabo more than once speaks of him as lately dead (xvii. pp. 828, 829, 840) at the time that he himself was writing; and this statement, coupled with the evidence of one of his coins, which bears the date of the 48th year of his reign, renders it probable that we may assign his death to A. D. 18 or 19 at latest. (See Eckhel, vol. iv. p. 157; Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. 203.)

The tranquil reign of Juba appears to have afforded but few materials for history; but it is evident that his kingdom rose to a pitch of power and prosperity under his rule far exceeding what it had before attained, and he endeavoured to introduce as far as possible the elements of Greek and Roman civilisation among his barbarian subjects. Among other things, he converted a town called Iol into a handsome city, with an excellent port, to which he gave the name of Caesareia, and which continued from thenceforth the capital of Mauritania. (Strab. xvii. p.831; Eutrop. 7.10.) So great was the reverence entertained for him by his own subjects, that they even paid him divine honours after his death (Lactant. de Fals. Relig. i. 11; Minucius Felix, 23), nor are there wanting proofs of the consideration which he enjoyed during his lifetime in foreign countries also. Thus we find him obtaining the honorary title of duumvir of the wealthy city of Gades (Avienus, de Ora Marit. 5.275), and apparently at New Carthage also (Mém. de l'Acad. des Inscr. vol. xxxviii. p. 104); and Pausanias mentions a statue erected to his memory at Athens itself. (Paus. 1.17.2.)

[E.H.B]