Hiempsal II facts for kids
Hiempsal II was a king who ruled the ancient kingdom of Numidia from 88 BC to 60 BC. He was the son of Gauda and the father of Juba I. His half-brother was Jugurtha, another famous king of Numidia.
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Hiempsal and the Roman Leaders
Meeting Gaius Marius
In 88 BC, a powerful Roman leader named Lucius Cornelius Sulla won a big victory. Because of this, another important Roman, Gaius Marius, and his son had to escape from Rome. They traveled all the way to Africa, where Hiempsal was king.
Hiempsal seemed friendly at first when Marius arrived. However, he secretly planned to keep Marius and his son as prisoners. Luckily, Marius found out about this plan in time. He managed to escape with help from the king's own daughter.
Losing and Regaining His Throne
Around 81 BC, Hiempsal lost his throne. Some say his own people kicked him out, or maybe it was another king named Hiarbas. Hiarbas ruled part of the kingdom and was helped by a Roman leader named Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus.
Soon after, a very famous Roman general named Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (also known as Pompey the Great) was sent to Africa. He was sent by Sulla to help Hiempsal get his kingdom back. Hiempsal even got more land along the coast. This happened because of an agreement he made with a Roman named Lucius Aurelius Cotta.
Later Life and Writings
In 63 BC, there was a discussion in Rome about selling certain lands. Some lands that had been given to the Roman people a long time ago were specifically protected from being sold. This made a famous Roman speaker, Marcus Tullius Cicero, quite upset.
A Roman writer named Suetonius wrote that Hiempsal was still alive in 62 BC. This shows he ruled for many years.
Hiempsal was not just a king; he was also a writer! According to another Roman historian named Sallust, Hiempsal wrote a history book. He wrote it in the Punic language, which was spoken in his region.
See also
In Spanish: Hiempsal II de Numidia para niños
