The Jugurthine War 112–106 BC

Rome's Long War in North Africa

Nic Fields, Marco Capparoni

$34.99

Paperback

In stock
Ready to ship

QTY:

English

Osprey
02 September 2025

History; Ancient history: to c 500 CE; Military history; Battles & campaigns

Series: Campaign

The fascinating story of Republican Rome's gruelling six-year campaign against the insurgent Numidian warlord, Jugurtha.

Jugurtha, the adoptive son of Micipsa, king of the Numidians, was initially a much-respected ally of Rome, fighting gallantly alongside the Romans during the Numantine War in Iberia. Over the course of the campaign, however, the ambitious and hot-headed Jugurtha fell in with more unsavoury company, who urged him to stage a coup d’etat and wrest control of Numidia from the legitimate heirs to the throne. Although he was warned not to consort with some of Rome’s more crooked governing elites, this advice fell on deaf ears, beginning a civil war. Rome’s response was to decide on war to punish Jugurtha for his acts of aggression. Among the commanders proving their worth against this formidable opponent would be Quintus Metellus and Caius Marius.

Here, classical historian Dr Nic Fields narrates the events of a bruising six-year campaign against the wily, elusive Jugurtha. He explores how Roman military performance was hampered by petty rivalries, knee-jerk partisanship, and grubby jostling between commanders. With photographs and artwork bringing the clashes in North Africa to life, the maps and diagrams provide context for this lengthy campaign. The war constituted an important stage in the Roman subjugation of North Africa, and the rise of the empire.

By: Nic Fields
Illustrated by: Marco Capparoni
Imprint: Osprey
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 246mm, Width: 182mm, Spine: 10mm
Weight: 300g
ISBN: 9781472865465
ISBN 10: 1472865464
Series: Campaign
Pages: 96
Publication Date: 02 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Dr Nic Fields has a BA and PhD in Ancient History from the University of Newcastle. He was Assistant Director at the British School in Athens, Greece, and then a lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh. Nic is now a freelance author and researcher based in south-west France. Marco Capparoni is a fine artist and illustrator for wargames, fiction and non-fiction publishers and private commissions specializing in history and military history.

Reviews for The Jugurthine War 112–106 BC: Rome's Long War in North Africa

It provides an excellent and pithy description of the causes and actions of the war and provides, as Osprey always does, an introduction into a fascinating topic. * Army Rumour Service * Fields works his way through the causes and consequences while narrating the main events in his usual authoritative manner, supported by Osprey’s customary high quality graphics and illustrations. * Neil Smith *