29.30
On
hearing of his uncle's death, followed by that of his cousin, Masinissa left
Spain for Mauretania. Baga was king at the time, and Masinissa, by his
earnest and humble entreaties, obtained from him a force of 4000 Moors to
serve as an escort as he could not induce him to supply enough for warlike
operations. With this escort he reached the frontiers of Numidia, having sent
messengers in advance to his father's friends and his own. Here about 500
Numidians joined him, and, as had been arranged, his escort of Moors
returned to their king. His adherents were fewer than he expected, too few,
in fact, with which to venture on so great an enterprise. Thinking, however,
that by active personal effort he might collect a force which would enable
him to achieve something, he advanced to Thapsus, where he met
Lacumazes, who was on his way to Syphax. The king's escort retreated
hurriedly into the town, and Masinissa captured the place at the first assault.
Some of the royal troops surrendered, others who offered resistance were
killed, but the great majority escaped with their boy-king in the confusion
and continued their journey to Syphax. The news of this initial success, slight
though it was, brought the Numidians over to Masinissa, and from the fields
and hamlets on all sides the old soldiers of Gala flocked to his standard and
urged the young leader to win back his ancestral throne. Mazaetullus had
considerably the advantage in point of numbers; he had the army with which
he had defeated Capussa as well as some of the troops who had gone over to
him after the king's death, and Lacumazes had brought very large
reinforcements from Syphax. His total force amounted to 15,000 infantry
and 10,000 cavalry, but, though so inferior in both arms, Masinissa engaged
him. The courage of the veterans and the skill of their commander, trained as
he had been in the wars in Spain, carried the day; the king and the Protector
with a mere handful of Masaesulians escaped into Carthaginian territory.
Thus Masinissa won back the throne of his ancestors. As he saw, however,
that a much more serious contest awaited him with Syphax, he thought it
best to effect a reconciliation with his cousin, and sent to the boy to assure
him that if he would place himself in Masinissa's hands he would experience
the same honourable treatment that Oezalces received from Gala. He also
pledged his word to Mazaetullus that he should not suffer for what he had
done, and, more than that, that all his property should be restored to him.
Both Lacumazes and Mazaetullus preferred a moderate share of fortune at
home to a life of exile, and in spite of all the efforts of the Carthaginians
went over to Masinissa.