Mastanapalle, chariot racing champion
North African horses were famous throughout the ancient world for their speed, and the Numidian knights were formidable warriors, feared by all their enemies. Mastanapal, son of Masinissa, king of Numidia, won the chariot race at the Panathenaic Games, an athletic competition held in Athens.
Mustanbal was the king of unified Numidia (ruled from 148 BC to 140 BC). He was the grandfather of Hempsall II, the father of Jugurtha and Goda of Numidia, the brother of Glossa and Missipsa, the son of Masinissa and the grandson of Gaia. He died in 140 BC. His brother Missipsa continued to rule Numidia after the death of his brothers. He was born around the 190s BC. M. in the city of Cirta (currently Constantine). He was the second son of Masinissa after the Romans divided Masinissa’s throne. He took care of judicial affairs and died as a result of an illness in 140 BC. He participated in the Olympic Games and won.
“Mustabal,” the owner of the first Numidian-Amazigh Olympic medal, lived during the time of the ancient Numidian Kingdom. He traveled more than 22 centuries ago specifically from the city of Cirta (currently Constantine), Algeria, to Greece to represent his country in the Olympic Games in Athens in the year 164 BC, and won the medal there. Gold medal in the equestrian competition after defeating strong competitors from the Kingdom of Bithynia. Historical documents and excavations confirm this, based on evidence found in Algeria, Italy and Greece, which prove that Prince Mustanbal, the son of King Masinissa the Younger, King of Numidia, was the first to give Numidia an Olympic gold medal that he handed over to him. King Nicomedes, the king of Bithynia personally,
Mastanapal was born in Cirta (Constantine) around 190 BC. His father, Masinissa, was king of Numidia. His name means “defender and protector.”
He received a Greek education, a privilege rarely enjoyed by a Numidian prince. He studied in particular law and Greek literature. After his father's death, he succeeded him as king with his two older brothers, Mesipsa and Glossa, and was responsible for administering justice in the kingdom. His son Jugurtha later led a revolt against Rome.
Mastanapalle was passionate about equestrianism and owned a farm that raised purebred horses. In his youth, perhaps while studying in Greece, he even participated in the Panathenaic Games, one of the most important sporting competitions in the Greek world.
The Panathenaios were religious and social celebrations organized by the city of Athens every four years. As is the case with the Olympic Games, it organizes a range of sporting events. It is not known exactly in which year Mastanapal participated in chariot racing, perhaps in 168 or 164.
But he won the race in Athens, becoming the first North African champion in a major sporting competition.
Participation in the Panathenaic Games was reserved for nations that the Greeks considered civilized. Mustanabal's participation shows that Numidia was at that time recognized as one of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world.
This was not the first time that North African horses had won a major sporting competition: King Arcesilaus IV of Cyrene had previously won the chariot race at the Pythian Games at Delphi in 462 with a team of Libyan horses. However, with Mustanabal, this was the first time that these horses were led by an indigenous rider.
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