Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 31 - Chapter 21

<head lang="la">II. Res Africae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fhn">Λιβύην</w> <w lemma="%2Amasanna%2Fsas">Μασαννάσας</w> <w lemma="qewrw%3Dn">θεωρῶν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="mikra%5Cn">μικρὰν</w> <w lemma="%2Asu%2Frtin">Σύρτιν</w> <w lemma="e%29ktisme%2Fnwn">ἐκτισμένων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ka%2Fllos">κάλλος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w>, <w lemma="h%28%5Cn">ἣν</w> <w lemma="kalou%3Dsin">καλοῦσιν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29empo%2Fria">Ἐμπόρια</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flai">πάλαι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="proso%2Fdwn">προσόδων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ginome%2Fnwn">γινομένων</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpois">τόποις</w> <w lemma="o%29fqalmiw%3Dn">ὀφθαλμιῶν</w>,

<w lemma="e%29peba%2Fleto">ἐπεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="katapeira%2Fzein">καταπειράζειν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fwn">Καρχηδονίων</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polloi%3Ds">πολλοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nw%2Fteron">ἀνώτερον</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnois">χρόνοις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="legome%2Fnwn">λεγομένων</w> <w lemma="kairw%3Dn">καιρῶν</w>. <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w> <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="e%29genh%2Fqh">ἐγενήθη</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frios">κύριος</w>,

<w lemma="a%28%2Fte">ἅτε</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28pai%2Fqrwn">ὑπαίθρων</w> <w lemma="kratw%3Dn">κρατῶν</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="ai%29ei%5C">αἰεὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29llotri%2Fous">ἀλλοτρίους</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="gh%3D%7C">γῇ</w> <w lemma="xrei%2Fas">χρείας</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tele%2Fws">τελέως</w> <w lemma="e%29kteqhlu%2Fnqai">ἐκτεθηλύνθαι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="poluxro%2Fnion">πολυχρόνιον</w> <w lemma="ei%29rh%2Fnhn:">εἰρήνην·</w>

<w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="po%2Flewn">πόλεων</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="h%29dunh%2Fqh">ἠδυνήθη</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="ku%2Frios">κύριος</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="e%29pimelw%3Ds">ἐπιμελῶς</w> <w lemma="threi%3Dn">τηρεῖν</w> <w lemma="au%29ta%2Fs">αὐτάς</w>.

<w lemma="a%29mfote%2Frwn">ἀμφοτέρων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="poioume%2Fnwn">ποιουμένων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29nafora%5Cn">ἀναφορὰν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="su%2Fgklhton">σύγκλητον</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfisbhtoume%2Fnwn">ἀμφισβητουμένων</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="presbeutw%3Dn">πρεσβευτῶν</w> <w lemma="polla%2Fkis">πολλάκις</w> <w lemma="e%29lhluqo%2Ftwn">ἐληλυθότων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frwn">ἑκατέρων</w>,

<w lemma="ai%29ei%5C">αἰεὶ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="e%29lattou%3Dsqai">ἐλαττοῦσθαι</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fois">Ῥωμαίοις</w>, <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fois">δικαίοις</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="pepei%3Dsqai">πεπεῖσθαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="kri%2Fnontas">κρίνοντας</w> <w lemma="sumfe%2Frein">συμφέρειν</w> <w lemma="sfi%2Fsi">σφίσι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="toiau%2Fthn">τοιαύτην</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w>,

<w lemma="e%29pei%2Ftoi">ἐπείτοι</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnois">χρόνοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polloi%3Ds">πολλοῖς</w> <w lemma="a%29nw%2Fteron">ἀνώτερον</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="%2Amasanna%2Fsas">Μασαννάσας</w> <w lemma="diw%2Fkwn">διώκων</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29afqh%3Dra">Ἀφθῆρα</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29posta%2Fthn">ἀποστάτην</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="stratope%2Fdou">στρατοπέδου</w> <w lemma="di%2Fodon">δίοδον</w> <w lemma="h%29%7Cth%2Fsato">ᾐτήσατο</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fths">ταύτης</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fras">χώρας</w>, <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="u%28ph%2Fkousan">ὑπήκουσαν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="proshkou%2Fshs">προσηκούσης</w>. <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w>

<w lemma="mh%5Cn">μὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flos">τέλος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="suneklei%2Fsqhsan">συνεκλείσθησαν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdo%2Fnioi">Καρχηδόνιοι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29pofa%2Fsewn">ἀποφάσεων</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="legome%2Fnous">λεγομένους</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fran">χώραν</w> <w lemma="a%29pobalei%3Dn">ἀποβαλεῖν</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pentako%2Fsia">πεντακόσια</w> <w lemma="ta%2Flanta">τάλαντα</w> <w lemma="prosqei%3Dnai">προσθεῖναι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="karpei%2Fas">καρπείας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnwn">χρόνων</w>, <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="ou%28%3D">οὗ</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbh">συνέβη</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29mfisbh%2Fthsin">ἀμφισβήτησιν</w>.

<head>VIII. Affairs of Africa</head><head>Massanissa and Carthage</head>In <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Africa&groupId=300&placeId=294">Africa</a> Massanissa, seeing the numbers of the cities founded on the coast of the Lesser Syrtis and the fertility of the country which they call <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Emporia&groupId=564&placeId=1055">Emporia</a>, and casting envious eyes on the abundant revenue derived from this district,

had tried, not many years before the time I am dealing with, to wrest it from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>.

He easily made himself master of the open country as he could command it, owing to the Carthaginians, who had always been poor soldiers, having latterly become completely enervated in consequence of the long peace.

He could not, however, get hold of the towns as they were carefully guarded by the Carthaginians.

Both parties appealed to the senate about their differences, and numerous embassies had come from both on the subject,

but the Carthaginians always came off second best at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a>, not because they had not right on their side, but because the judges were convinced that it was in their own interest to decide against them.

Their claim to the country was evidently just; for Massanissa himself not many years previously, while pursuing with an army Aphther who had rebelled against him, had begged permission from them to pass through this district, thus acknowledging that he had no claim to it.

But nevertheless at the end the Carthaginians were in such straits owing to the decisions of the senate at the time I am speaking of, that they not only lost the country and the towns in it, but had to pay in addition five hundred talents for the mesne revenue of it since the dispute originated.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

31.21.1 - 31.21.8

Masinissa and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> This excerpt from de legat. gent. is from res Africae, probably of Ol. 154, 3 = 162/1 (though 161/0 cannot be excluded; see p. 36). It mentions friction between Masinissa and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> over a few years (cf. § 8, on the revenues involved); but since the Roman decisions are described in terms similar to those used of others mentioned about this time, the events in question probably belong to the middle sixties, and Masinissa's attack may have started about 167/6 (so De Sanctis, iv. 3. 12 n. 25). (Beaumont, JRS, 1939, 79 n. 20, suggests that it was in connection with these disputes that the Punic treaties (iii. 22–25 n.) were brought into prominenceby senators welldisposed towards <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>.) Whether P. had dealt with trouble arising between the end of the Second Punic War and this date is not known; clearly it would have been less significant in the context of a History planned to end in 167 than in one ending in 145. But the reference to a long peace (§ 3) need not imply no earlier encroachment; indeed, given the ambiguity of the peace-terms following Zama (xv. 18. 5 n.), that would be unlikely. Appian (Lib. 67) mentions an early Numidian claim against <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, confirmed by the Romans and followed by a treaty between Masinissa and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, <w lang="el-GR">αἳ διέμειναν ἐς ἔτη πεντήκοντα</w>, which would fit P.'s long peace. But Livy, following annalistic sources, records constant friction from 195 <milestone unit="page" n="489">[489]</milestone> onward; and though details are suspect, such disputes are not necessarily inconsistent with a long peace. For discussion see P. G. Walsh, JRS, 1965, 157–9. The passages are: Livy, xxxii. 47. 7–8 (195): Roman embassy at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> to look into the frontier problem (and in fact to act against Hannibal; on the source see McDonald, OCT Livy, xxxi–xxxv, p. xlii); Livy, xxxiv. 61. 16–62. 18 (193): Scipio Africanus sent to deal with Masinissa's encroachment on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Emporia&groupId=564&placeId=1055">Emporia</a>; Livy, xl. 17. 1–6, cf. 34. 14 (181): Masinissa seizes land, and a Roman embassy is sent; Livy, xlii. 23–24 (172): Carthaginian appeal to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> and counter-charges by Gulussa: decision against Masinissa. Of these passages Livy, xxxiv. 61–62 raises special problems in relation to P., since it states (under 193) that Masinissa seized several maritime states belonging to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, and imposed tribute upon them: '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Emporia&groupId=564&placeId=1055">Emporia</a> uocant eam regionem: ora est minoris Syrtis et agri uberis: una ciuitas eius Lepcis: ea singula in dies talenta uectigal Carthaginiensibus dedit' (Livy, xxxiv. 62. 3). Shortly afterwards, Carthaginian legati at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> supported their claim to this territory by adducing Masinissa's request to pursue Aphther, mentioned here (§ 7): 'Carthaginienses iure finium causam tutabantur, quod inter eos terminos esset quibus P. Scipio uictor agrum qui iuris esset Carthaginiensium finisset, et confessione regis, qui cum Aphthirem profugum ex regno suo cum parte Numidarum uagantem circa Cyrenas persequeretur, precario ab se iter per eum ipsum agrum tamquam haud dubie Carthaginiensium iuris petisset' (Livy, xxxiv. 62. 8–10). Livy's use of the form Lepcis and his reference to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyrene&groupId=521&placeId=985">Cyrene</a> indicate that he refers to Lepcis Magna and not <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Leptis&groupId=679&placeId=1243">Leptis</a> Minor (as P. W. Townsend, CP, 1940, 279–82, believes); Lepcis Magna is of course also the more important place (see on this Kahrstedt, iii. 78–79, 334 n. 1; De Sanctis, iii. 1. 33 n. 88; Warmington, 166). The relationship between Livy's account of this and P. is disputed. Saumagne (Rev. hist. 167, 1931, 246 ff.) argues for a common source; but this must be rejected (see S. Rossetti, Parola del Passato, 1960, 341–3 and, more generally, Passerini, Athen. 1937, 26 ff.). Greek information lies behind Livy, since he calculates the revenue of Lepcis in talents (cf. De Sanctis, iv. 3. 9 n. 22), but the main source is annalistic (despite Nissen, KU, 165; doubts in McDonald, OCT Livy, xxxi–xxxv, p. xlii; see Soltau, Phil. 1893, 694. Walsh, JRS, 1965, 157 thinks the source is P. with annalistic additions to give circumstantial detail, but he does not discuss the Aphther passage). Badian, 295–6, would reconcile P. and Livy with the hypothesis that in 193 Masinissa secured Lepcis and the coast east of the Lesser Syrtis, and that the dispute in the sixties concerned the area farther west in the Lesser Syrtis proper; Livy's source, he suggests, confused the two occasions and transposed the reference to the pursuit of Aphther to <milestone unit="page" n="490">[490]</milestone> the former. But if Livy's reference to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyrene&groupId=521&placeId=985">Cyrene</a> (Livy, xxxiv. 62. 10) is an integral part of the Aphther incident, and this belongs really to the 160's, it follows that at that date Masinissa still needed Carthaginian permission to cross this area towards the Greater Syrtis; and this can hardly be reconciled with his possession of Lepcis Magna since 193. It seems more likely that Livy's source has confused some other point of friction in 193 with the dispute over <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Emporia&groupId=564&placeId=1055">Emporia</a>, and has therefore transferred to 193 material from the later date (cf. Kahrstedt, iii. 592–3; Gsell, iii. 315–17, who rightly observes that Scipio's embassy must belong to 193; Hoffmann, Historia, 1960, 326; Rossetti, Parola del Passato, 1960, 340–6).

Specifics

31.21.1 - 31.21.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὴν μικρὰν Σύρτιν . . . Ἐμπόρια</w>:</emph> on these see i. 82. 6 n., iii. 23. 2, xxxiv. 15. 8. The two are identical, but the area is variously defined within the limits of Thapsus in the west and a somewhat indefinite boundary in the east. Procopius, Aed. vi. 4. 14, takes the Lesser Syrtis from Tacape (modern Gabs) to Girgis, south-east of Djerba, but Strabo, xvii. 3. 18, C. 835 makes the eastern boundary Lake Zouchis (which may be Kelabso Treidler, RE, 'Syritis', cols. 1812–17or the Bahiret el Bibaneso Gsell, ii. 1247). Scylax, Periplus, 110 (GGM, i. 88) confuses the region opposite <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cercina&groupId=453&placeId=845">Cercina</a> with that farther north off Hadrumetum; and Ptolemy, Geog. iv. 4. 3, agrees with Strabo that Thaenae marks the western extremity of the Lesser Syrtis. For full discussion see R. M. Haywood, CP, 1941, 251; Reynolds and Ward Perkins, 76–77. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸ πλῆθος τῶν προσόδων</w>:</emph> cf. § 8 n. According to Livy, xxxiv. 62. 3 (quoted above, 21. 1–8 n.), Lepcis Magna paid <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> tribute equivalent to one talent a day; he quotes this to indicate the likely revenue from the whole province, when one town (una ciuitas) produced so much. It has been argued that this figure, clearly exaggerated as it stands, represented the proceeds of the region of which Lepcis was the administrative centre (so Haywood, CP, 1941, 251–6; Reynolds and Ward Perkins, 76–77); but this is not Livy's meaning, and it seems just as likely that this is simply a tall story (Kahrstedt, iii. 34–35). In any case, it is not indeed certain that the indirect source of this figure in Livy is P.

31.21.2 - 31.21.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οὐ πολλοῖς ἀνώτερον χρόνοις</w>:</emph> 'not long before'; perhaps a year or two (but the phrase does not mean 'not many years before' as Paton translates it); see 21. 1–8 n.

31.21.3 - 31.21.3

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τὴν πολυχρόνιον εἰρήνην</w>:</emph> since the end of the Second Punic War and the treaty made shortly afterwards with Masinissa; see 21. 1–8 n.

31.21.4 - 31.21.4

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῶν δὲ πόλεων οὐκ εδυνήθη γενέσθαι κύριος</w>:</emph> towns such as Achulla (Acholla), Thapsus, and Tacape (Gabs) in the Gulf of Gabs (cf. Treidler, RE, 'T<w lang="el-GR">ακάπη</w>', cols. 2052–6) but also perhaps those <milestone unit="page" n="491">[491]</milestone> of Tripolitania, Oea, Sabratha, and Lepcis Magna (see 21. 1–8 n., § 1 n.).

31.21.5 - 31.21.5

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πρεσβευτῶν πολλάκις ἐληλυθότων</w>:</emph> probably over a series of years in the sixties, since there were several adverse decisions against <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> (§ 6); nor was the Senate wont to give repeated audiences on the same topic in a single year.

31.21.6 - 31.21.6

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οὐ τοῖς δικαίοις κτλ</w>.:</emph> for allegations of similar motivation in other decisions see 10. 6–7 (the Ptolemies), 11. 11 (Antiochus V). Hoffmann (Historia, 1960, 330 n. 54) suggests that the Senate aimed at interposing Masinissa between <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyrene&groupId=521&placeId=985">Cyrene</a>, in view of the situation in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Cyrene&groupId=521&placeId=985">Cyrene</a> (10. 1–10, 17. 1–20. 6). This would of course imply that Masinissa did not already hold Lepcis Magna (21. 1–8 n.).

31.21.7 - 31.21.7

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">χρόνοις οὐ πολλοῖς ἀνώτερον</w>:</emph> cf. § 2 n.; a date in the sixties is implied (not 193, as in Livy, xxxiv. 62: see 21. 1–8 n.). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διώκων τὸν Ἀφθῆρα</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxxiv. 62. 10 (quoted 21. 1–8 n.); Livy specifies that Aphther had a body of Numidians, and that he was uagantem circa Cyrenas. Apparently Masinissa's vassal, he is otherwise unknown. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">δίοδον ᾐτήσατο τοὺς Καρχηδονίους</w>:</emph> cf. Livy, xxxiv. 62. 10. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οἱ δ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">οὐχ ὑπήκουσαν</w>:</emph> Paton, CR, 1920, 54–55, omits the phrase as an intrusion on the grounds that (a) the words <w lang="el-GR">ὡς οὐδὲν αὐτῷ προσηκούσης</w> are better taken as an explanation of why Masinissa asked, rather than of why the Carthaginians refused, (b) that is the meaning in Livy, xxxiv. 62. 10 (cf. 21. 1–8 n.). The suggestion is attractive, but cannot be accepted, in the face of a clear manuscript tradition and a text which can be justified; though the words quoted add nothing to the Carthaginian argument, they provide circumstantial evidence that the territory was Carthaginian de iure (since Masinissa asked permission to cross it) and de facto (since permission was refused). But it remains true that the fact that the territory was Carthaginian is not a good reason for the Carthaginians' rejecting a request which admitted that fact by implication.

31.21.8 - 31.21.8

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πεντακόσια τάλαντα . . . τῆς καρπείας</w>:</emph> the revenue from the area (cf. § 1, <w lang="el-GR">τὸ πλῆθος τῶν προσόδων)</w>, not its produce (cf. x. 28. 3, <w lang="el-GR">καρπεύειν)</w>. Since the time involved is not known, no conclusions are possible concerning the revenue which the area yielded, nor can these 500 talents be correlated with the talent which Livy, xxxiv. 62. 3 gave as the daily payment from Lepcis Magna (§ 1 n.).

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