Conflict over the succession in Numidia: Masinissa becomes king
Young Masinissa , son of King Gaia, was the best warrior of all the Numidian princes, having commanded his father's cavalry since the age of seventeen. However, he was not given the rule when his father died, especially since Carthage feared that such a powerful Numidian king would escape its grasp.
At the time of his father's death, Masinissa was in Spain, where he was supporting his Carthaginian allies in their war against the Romans .
According to Massilian custom, the eldest prince reigned. Therefore Ozalsis (Olzaken), Gaia's brother and Masinissa's uncle, was chosen as the new king. Masinissa did not compete with him for the throne.
Osalcis died in turn a few months later. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Capusa. Once again, Masinissa did not challenge him for the throne. His cousin was the legitimate heir, as the eldest prince of the new generation.
However, another Numidian leader, Mizztul, opposed Capusa. He had married the widow of Osalces, a Carthaginian, which gained him the support of some of the Carthaginian elite who wanted to keep Masinissa out of the picture. Although Masinissa had always been a loyal servant of the Carthaginians, his military successes had led some to fear that he had become too powerful to be their ally.
Capusa was killed in a coup organized by Meztul. Masinissa was the legitimate heir. Meztul, who could not be king because he was not of the royal family, installed Lacomazis, the youngest son of Osalces, as king, under his regency.
Massinissa, who had been expelled from Spain by the Romans, returned to Africa to claim his father's throne. When Lacomazis and Meztole heard of his return, they took refuge with Syphax, king of the Massysycles, but were captured on the way. Masinissa treated Lacomazis with honor and restored him to prince.
Less than a year after his father's death, Masinissa succeeded him to the throne of Massilian. However, Syphax, a perennial rival of Massilian, took advantage of the succession dispute to seize part of his territory. At the same time, a growing number of people in Carthage distrusted him. This eventually led him to sever ties with the Carthaginians and form an alliance with Rome.
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