- Bomilcar (2nd century BC)
Bomilcar (
2nd century BC ) was aNumidia n nobleman and follower of the Numidian kingJugurtha , whom he later betrayed.Deep in the confidence of Jugurtha, Bomilcar was employed on many secret services. In particular, when Jugurtha was at Rome, in
108 BC , Bomilcar undertook and effected for him the assassination ofMassiva , who happened to be at Rome at the same time, and who, as well as Jugurtha himself, was a grandson ofMasinissa , and a rival claimant to the throne of Numidia. The murder was discovered and traced to Bomilcar, who was obliged to enter into large recognizances to appear and stand his trial; but, before the trial came on, his master privately sent him back to Africa. [Sail. Jug. 35; comp. Liv. Epit. 64. (cited by Smith)]In the ensuing year, we find him commanding a portion of Jugurtha's army, with which he was defeated in a skirmish at the river Muthul by
Publius Rutilius Rufus , lieutenant ofMetellus . [Sail. Jug. 49,52,53. (cited by Smith)] In the winter of the same year Metellus, after his unsuccessful attempt onZama , engaged Bomilcar by promises of Roman favour to deliver Jugurtha to him alive or dead; and it was accordingly at his instigation that the king sent ambassadors to make offers of unconditional submission to Metellus. [Sail. Jug. 61, 62. (cited by Smith)]In consequence of this advice Bomilcar seems to have become an object of suspicion to his master, which urged him the more towards the execution of his treachery. Accordingly he formed a plot with
Nabdalsa , a Numidian nobleman, for the seizure or assassination of the king; but the design was discovered to Jugurtha by Nabdalsa's agent or secretary, and Bomilcar was put to death. [Sail. Jug. 70,71. (cited by Smith)]References
*SmithDGRBM
Footnotes
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