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Book 36 - Chapter 16

1
<head lang="la">B. Olymp. 157, 4. I. Bellum Punicum Tertium</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Amasana%2Fsshs">Μασανάσσης</w> <w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Alibu%2Fh%7C">Λιβύῃ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Anoma%2Fdwn">Νομάδων</w> <w lemma="basileu%5Cs">βασιλεὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%5Cr">ἀνὴρ</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dn">ἦν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fwn">βασιλέων</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fristos">ἄριστος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="makariw%2Ftatos">μακαριώτατος</w>,
2
<w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="e%29basi%2Fleusen">ἐβασίλευσεν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fth">ἔτη</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fw">πλείω</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%2Fkonq%27">ἑξήκονθ᾽</w>, <w lemma="u%28gieino%2Ftatos">ὑγιεινότατος</w> <w lemma="w%29%5Cn">ὢν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="poluxroniw%2Ftatos:">πολυχρονιώτατος·</w> <w lemma="e%29nenh%2Fkonta">ἐνενήκοντα</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29tw%3Dn">ἐτῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29gego%2Fnei">ἐγεγόνει</w>.
3
<w lemma="e%29ge%2Fneto">ἐγένετο</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dunamikw%2Ftatos">δυναμικώτατος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%28to%5Cn">αὑτὸν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="swmatikh%5Cn">σωματικὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fcin">ἕξιν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fs">ὅς</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="sth%3Dnai">στῆναι</w> <w lemma="de%2Foi">δέοι</w>, <w lemma="sta%5Cs">στὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fxnesi">ἴχνεσι</w> <w lemma="di%27">δι᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmene">ἔμενε</w>, <w lemma="kaqezo%2Fmenos">καθεζόμενος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="h%29gei%2Freto">ἠγείρετο</w>.
4
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="i%28ppikw%3Dn">ἱππικῶν</w> <w lemma="kakopa%2Fqeian">κακοπάθειαν</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fran">ἡμέραν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nu%2Fkta">νύκτα</w> <w lemma="sunexw%3Ds">συνεχῶς</w> <w lemma="diakarterw%3Dn">διακαρτερῶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%5Cn">οὐδὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpasxen">ἔπασχεν</w>. <w lemma="shmei%3Don">σημεῖον</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="swmatikh%3Ds">σωματικῆς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews:">δυνάμεως·</w>
5
<w lemma="e%29%2Fxwn">ἔχων</w> <w lemma="e%29nenh%2Fkont%27">ἐνενήκοντ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fth">ἔτη</w>, <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="meth%2Fllace">μετήλλαξε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w>, <w lemma="ui%28o%5Cn">υἱὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fleipe">ἀπέλειπε</w> <w lemma="tetta%2Frwn">τεττάρων</w> <w lemma="e%29tw%3Dn">ἐτῶν</w>, <w lemma="o%29%2Fnoma">ὄνομα</w> <w lemma="%2Asqe%2Fmbanon">Σθέμβανον</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cn">ὃν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dta">ταῦτα</w> <w lemma="%2Amiki%2Fyhs">Μικίψης</w> <w lemma="ui%28opoih%2Fsato">υἱοποιήσατο</w>, <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="ui%28ou%5Cs">υἱοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29nne%2Fa">ἐννέα</w>.
6
<w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flous">ἀλλήλους</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="eu%29%2Fnoian">εὔνοιαν</w> <w lemma="dieth%2Frhse">διετήρησε</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flon">ὅλον</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fon">βίον</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fshs">πάσης</w> <w lemma="e%29piboulh%3Ds">ἐπιβουλῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="panto%5Cs">παντὸς</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fou">οἰκείου</w> <w lemma="mia%2Fsmatos">μιάσματος</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fmoiron">ἄμοιρον</w> <w lemma="au%28tou%3D">αὑτοῦ</w> <w lemma="gene%2Fsqai">γενέσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="basilei%2Fan">βασιλείαν</w>.
7
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fgiston">μέγιστον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qeio%2Ftaton">θειότατον</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou:">τούτου·</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="%2Anomadi%2Fas">Νομαδίας</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fshs">ἁπάσης</w> <w lemma="a%29xrh%2Fstou">ἀχρήστου</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fshs">ὑπαρχούσης</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nomizome%2Fnhs">νομιζομένης</w> <w lemma="a%29duna%2Ftou">ἀδυνάτου</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="fu%2Fsei">φύσει</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Frous">ἡμέρους</w> <w lemma="karpou%5Cs">καρποὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxein">ὑπάρχειν</w>,
8
<w lemma="prw%3Dtos">πρῶτος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnos">μόνος</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Fdeice">ὑπέδειξε</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnatai">δύναται</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="e%29kfe%2Frein">ἐκφέρειν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Frous">ἡμέρους</w> <w lemma="karpou%5Cs">καρποὺς</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28poi%2Fas">ὁποίας</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Dtton">ἧττον</w>, <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fstw%7C">ἑκάστῳ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="ui%28w%3Dn">υἱῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="diasta%2Fsei">διαστάσει</w> <w lemma="muriople%2Fqrous">μυριοπλέθρους</w> <w lemma="a%29grou%5Cs">ἀγροὺς</w> <w lemma="kataskeua%2Fsas">κατασκευάσας</w> <w lemma="pamfo%2Frous">παμφόρους</w>.
9
<w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnou">ἐκείνου</w> <w lemma="metasta%2Fsei">μεταστάσει</w> <w lemma="tau%3Dt%27">ταῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="eu%29lo%2Fgws">εὐλόγως</w> <w lemma="e%29pifqe%2Fgcaito">ἐπιφθέγξαιτο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dikai%2Fws">δικαίως</w>.
10
<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Askipi%2Fwn">Σκιπίων</w> <w lemma="parageno%2Fmenos">παραγενόμενος</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aki%2Frtan">Κίρταν</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fra%7C">ἡμέρᾳ</w> <w lemma="tri%2Fth%7C">τρίτῃ</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="basile%2Fws">βασιλέως</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fnaton">θάνατον</w> <w lemma="diw%2F%7Ckhse">διῴκησε</w> <w lemma="kalw%3Ds">καλῶς</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w>. —
11
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2Amasana%2Fsshn">Μασανάσσην</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="i%28storei%3D">ἱστορεῖ</w> <w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios">Πολύβιος</w> <w lemma="e%29nenh%2Fkonta">ἐνενήκοντα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29tw%3Dn">ἐτῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29poqanei%3Dn">ἀποθανεῖν</w>, <w lemma="tetra%2Fetes">τετράετες</w> <w lemma="katalipo%2Fnta">καταλιπόντα</w> <w lemma="paida%2Frion">παιδάριον</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="gegenhme%2Fnon:">γεγενημένον·</w>
12
<w lemma="o%29li%2Fgw%7C">ὀλίγῳ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmprosqen">ἔμπροσθεν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="teleuth%3Ds">τελευτῆς</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxh%7C">μάχῃ</w> <w lemma="nikh%2Fsanta">νικήσαντα</w> <w lemma="mega%2Flh%7C">μεγάλῃ</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="o%29fqh%3Dnai">ὀφθῆναι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="u%28sterai%2Fa%7C">ὑστεραίᾳ</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="skhnh%3Ds">σκηνῆς</w> <w lemma="r%28uparo%5Cn">ῥυπαρὸν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Frton">ἄρτον</w> <w lemma="e%29sqi%2Fonta">ἐσθίοντα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fzontas">θαυμάζοντας</w> <w lemma="ei%29pei%3Dn">εἰπεῖν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="poiei%3D">ποιεῖ</w> ?<w lemma=""></w>*
<head>IV. The Third Punic War</head>Massanissa, the king of the Numidians in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Africa&groupId=300&placeId=294">Africa</a>, one of the best and most fortunate men of our time, reigned for over sixty years, enjoying excellent health and attaining a great age, for he lived till ninety.
He also excelled all his contemporaries in bodily strength, for when it was necessary to stand, he could stand in the same place for a whole day without shifting, and again, if he were seated, he never used to get up.
And he could also continue to ride hard by night and day without feeling any the worse.
The following is a proof of his bodily strength. At the age of ninety, the age at which he died, he left a son of four years old called Sthembanus, subsequently adopted by Micipses, besides nine other sons.
Owing to the affectionate terms they were all on he kept his kingdom during his whole life free from all plots and from any taint of domestic discord.
But his greatest and most godlike achievement was this. While Numidia had previously been a barren country thought to be naturally incapable of producing crops, he first and alone proved that it was as capable as any other country of bearing all kinds of crops, by making for each of his sons a separate property of 10,000 plethra which produced all kinds of crops.
It is only proper and just to pay this tribute to his memory on his death.
Scipio arrived in Cirta two days after the king's death and set everything in order.
Polybius tells us that Massanissa died at the age of ninety, leaving a four-year-old child of which he was the father.
A little before his death, he defeated the Carthaginians in a great battle, and next day he was seen in front of his tent eating a dirty piece of bread, and to those who expressed their surprise said he did it. . . .

Walbank Commentary

Overview
36.16.1 - 36.16.10
<p rend="Plain Text">Character of Masinissa</p> <p rend="Plain Text">This fragment from the exc. de uirt. et uit. (with §§ 1–8 also in Suidas) will be from res Africae of Ol. 157, 4 = 149/8; see p. 46. As in the case of Prusias (15. 1–7), P. will have introduced this character-sketch of Masinissa in connection with his death (§ 9).</p>
36.16.7 - 36.16.8
<p rend="Plain Text">Development of agriculture in Numidia: cf. Strabo, xvii. 3. 15, C. 833, <w lang="el-GR">οὗτός ἐστιν</w> (sc. Masinissa) <w lang="el-GR">ὁ τοὺς Νομάδας πολιτικοὺς κατασκευάσας καὶ γεωργούς, ἔτι δ᾿ ἀντὶ τοῦ λῃστεύειν διδάξας στρατεύειν</w> Strabo describes Numidia as <w lang="el-GR">χώραν . . . εὐδαί?μονα</w>, and attributes the poor conditions before Masinissa to lack of security and the nomadic life of the Maesyli. On the achievements in this sphere of Masinissa and his successors see Kahrstedt, iii. 115, 594; Windberg, RE, 'Numidia', cols. 1363–70 ('Wirtschaftsgeschichte').</p>
36.16.11 - 36.16.12
<p rend="Plain Text">Further comment on Masinissa</p> <p rend="Plain Text">This passage, from Plut. Mor. 791 F–792 A, refers to the same context; but the anecdote about Masinissa eating dirty bread (§ 12) may have been related in the later part of book xxxv under res Africae of Ol. 157, 2 = 151/0, where P. must have described Scipio's visit to Masinissa to solicit troops for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Spain&groupId=983&placeId=1735">Spain</a> (cf. xxxiv. 16. 2 n.).</p>
Specifics
36.16.1 - 36.16.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Μασανάσσης</w>:</emph> cf. ix. 25. 4 n., xv. 18. 5 n. (territorial extension), xxi. 21. 2 n., xxxi. 21. 1–8 n. The spelling is the excerptor's; Suidas has <w lang="el-GR">Μασσανάσσης</w>; but P. spells the name <w lang="el-GR">Μασαννάσας</w>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> Early in 148 the Romans, alarmed at the army's lack of success and Masinissa's neutrality (7. 5 n.; App. Lib. 94), dispatched an embassy to the king to ask again for help (App. Lib. 105; Livy, Ox. ep. 50); one of the three envoys, M. Claudius Marcellus, cos. 166 (cf. xxxv. 2. 1 n.), was drowned en route (see Livy, ep. 50; Ox. ep. 50; Cic. Pis. 44 with Ascon. 11; de diu. 2. 14; de fato, 33). This embassy found him already dead. The date is assured by Livy, Ox. ep. 50, '[Sp. Albino L. Piso]ne coss.'; cf. Val. Max. v. 2 ext. 4, 'M'. Manilius, qui pro consule Africam obtinebat . . . obsecrauit etc.'. Before dying he invited Scipio as a family hospes to see to the succession (cf. § 10). <milestone unit="page" n="675">[675]</milestone> It is at that point that Appian (Lib. 106) included an obituary of Masinissa; P.'s is likely to have come at the same point. </p>
36.16.2 - 36.16.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη πλείω τῶν ἑξήκονθ᾿</w>:</emph> cf. Diod. xxxii. 16; Val. Max. viii. 13 ext. 1; Pliny, Nat. hist. vii. 48. The statement is untrue. Masinissa's father Gala had died c. 206 and, following Numidian custom (cf. Gsell, iii. 189 ff.), the succession had passed to his next brother, Oezalces, who also died very soon (Livy, xxix. 29. 6–7). From then till 203, when Masinissa recovered the kingdom, fighting with <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> against <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Carthage&groupId=441&placeId=820">Carthage</a>, it was under Mazaetullus, acting as regent for Oezalces' son, Lacumazes (Livy, xxix. 29. 8–13). The Numidian law of succession excludes the possibility that Gala had made Masinissa co-ruler; and, assuming that he reckoned his accession from Gala's death, his reign could only be extended to 58 years. His actual reign was c. 55 years. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐνενήκοντα . . . ἐτῶν ἐγεγόνει</w>:</emph> cf. § 5; so he was born c. 239. See Diod. xxxii. 16; Cic. de sen. 10. 34; Val. Max. viii. 13 ext. 1; Pliny, Nat. hist. vii. 14. 2 (Val. Max. and Pliny by implication); Livy, ep. 50. In Livy, xxiv. 49. 1, where Masinissa is said to have been 17 in 213, the figure must be corrected to XXVII. The statement in Val. Max. v. 2 ext. 4, that he lived to be 100, may be neglected. On P.'s tendency to round off expressions of age see xxiii. 12. 1 n. </p>
36.16.3 - 36.16.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">δυναμικώτατος . . . κατὰ τὴν σωματικὴν ἕξιν</w>:</emph> cf. App. Lib. 106, <w lang="el-GR">ἔφυ δὲ καὶ τὸ σῶμα μέγας τε καὶ εὔρωστος ἐς γῆρας πολύ</w> ; Val. Max. viii. 13 ext. 1; Diod. xxxii. 16. </p>
36.16.5 - 36.16.5
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">υἱὸν ἀπέλειπε τεττάρων ἐτῶν</w>:</emph> cf. App. Lib. 106; Val. Max. viii. 13 ext. 1; Cic. de sen. 10. 34 (the source of Val. Max.), who all give the boy's name as Methymnus. Pliny, Nat. hist. vii. 14, calls him Metymannus. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πρὸς δὲ τούτοις υἱοὺς ἐννέ?α</w>:</emph> cf. App. Lib. 106, <w lang="el-GR">πόλλων γὰρ αὐτῷ παίδων γιγνομένων καὶ ἀποθνησκόντων, οὔποτε μὲν ἦσαν αὐτῷ μείους τῶν δέκα</w>; Val. Max. v. 2 ext. 4, says that he left 54 sons. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Μικίψης</w>:</emph> Masinissa's eldest legitimate son, who succeeded his father first as co-ruler with his brothers Gulussa and Mastanabal (cf. § 10 n.) and later as sole ruler until his death in 118. Under him Numidia was considerably Hellenized (Diod. xxxiv/xxxv. 35). See Schur, RE, 'Micipsa', cols. 1522–4. </p>
36.16.8 - 36.16.8
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἑκάστῳ τῶν υἱῶν</w>:</emph> cf. Diod. xxxii. 16, <w lang="el-GR">ἐν δὲ ταῖς τῶν ἀγρῶν ἐπιμελείαις</w> <milestone unit="page" n="676">[676]</milestone> <w lang="el-GR">τόσουτον διήνεγκεν ὡς ἑκάστῳ τῶν υἱῶν ἀπολιπεῖν ἀγρὸν μυριόπλεθρον, κεκοσμημένον πάσαις ταῖς κατασκευαῖς</w> . From this Dindorf and Wesseling were able with confidence to correct the readings of P here, which were <w lang="el-GR">καρπῶν</w> for <w lang="el-GR">υἱῶν</w>, and <w lang="el-GR">μυριοπληθεις</w> (unaccented) for <w lang="el-GR">μυριοπλέθρους</w>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐν διαστάσει</w>:</emph> 'separate' (Paton), i.e. 'at intervals from each other', or 'in extent' (Shuckburgh). The former is probable, the alternative being pleonastic with <w lang="el-GR">μυριοπλέθρους</w>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">μυριοπλέθρους</w>:</emph> a <w lang="el-GR">πλέθρον</w> is a day's ploughing for a team of oxen, reckoned as 100 ft. X 100 ft., i.e. 10,000 sq. ft.; but the word was often used inaccurately to translate iugerum, an area of 240 ft. X 120 ft. = 28,800 sq. ft. (cf. Pryce and Lang, OCD <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> , 'measures'; Becker, RE, <w lang="el-GR">πλέ?θρον᾽</w>, col. 235). But <w lang="el-GR">μυριο</w>- will indicate a vast undefined number, as often; P. means simply that Masinissa left each of his sons a very large, well-equipped farm. </p>
36.16.10 - 36.16.10
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ὁ δὲ Σκιπίων . . . διῴκησε καλῶς πάντα</w>:</emph> in summoning Scipio Masinissa doubtless foresaw the danger to the kingdom, should the succession not be peacefully arranged (cf. Hoffmann, Historia, 1960, 335 n. 67); cf. App. Lib. 70 for the recent defection of two Numidian chieftains, Agasis and Subas, to the Carthaginians. Before dying he bade his sons follow the decisions of Scipio; cf. App. Lib. 105, <w lang="el-GR">ἀποψύχων ἀπέσκηψε τοῖς παισὶ πείθεσθαι τῷ Σκιπίωνι ὡς ἂν αὐτοῖς διαιρῇ τὰ ὄντα</w>. Scipio's decision substituted succession by his sons in preference to the Numidian tradition which gave it to the eldest agnate (cf. § 2 n.); but there is no reason to suppose that this was contrary to Masinissa's wishes (so Saumagne, 100–2). Micipsa received the citadel and capital of Cirta, and was thus recognized as king; Gulussa was given command of the army; and Mastanabal was given jurisdiction (App. Lib. 106; Zon. ix. 27 (Mastanabal is here erroneously the second son)). Other sons received certain cities and districts (Zon. ix. 27). This settlement ensured that Numidia must henceforth depend on the power of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> (cf. De Sanctis, iv. 3. 55). </p>
36.16.12 - 36.16.12
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">μάχῃ νική?σαντα μεγάλῃ Καρχηδονίους</w>:</emph> on the events leading to this see 2. 1–4 n. (p. 653). The battle between Masinissa and the Carthaginians under Hasdrubal is described in App. Lib. 71–72. Scipio watched it <w lang="el-GR">ἀφ᾿ ὑψηλοῦ, καθάπερ ἐ?κ θεάτρου</w>, and later compared <milestone unit="page" n="677">[677]</milestone> his view of it with the view Zeus had from Mt. Ida or Poseidon from Samothracea revealing comparison. See Astin, 249. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ῥυπαρὸν ἄρτον ἐσθίοντα</w>:</emph> a lacuna in the text of Plutarch deprives us of Masinissa's words. But the point of the story may have been in the eating of bread alone (rather than in its dirtiness): cf. Livy, ep. 48, 'Carthaginienses . . . uicti ab eo [sc. Masinissa] annos habente XCII [sic] et sine pulpamine mandere et siccum gustare pane〈m〉 tantum solito insuper Romanum bellum meruerunt.' </p>

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