▁numerous ▁Rom ans . ▁This ▁last ▁action ▁was ▁to ▁spark ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Jug ur th ine ▁War ▁between ▁Rome ▁and ▁Num idia . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Num idia ▁was ▁a ▁kingdom ▁located ▁in ▁North ▁Africa ▁( rough ly ▁corresponding ▁to ▁northern ▁modern ▁day ▁Al ger ia ) ▁adjacent ▁to ▁what ▁had ▁been ▁Rome ' s ▁arch ▁enemy , ▁Car th age . ▁King ▁Mas in issa , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁stead fast ▁al ly ▁of ▁Rome ▁in ▁the ▁Third ▁P unic ▁War , ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 4 9 , ▁and ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁his ▁son ▁M ici ps a , ▁who ▁ruled ▁from ▁ 1 4 9 ▁to ▁ 1 1 8 ▁BC . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁death ▁M ici ps a ▁had ▁three ▁potential ▁he irs , ▁his ▁two ▁sons , ▁Ad her bal ▁and ▁H iem ps al ▁I , ▁and ▁an ▁il leg it imate ▁nep hew , ▁Jug ur tha . ▁Jug ur tha ▁had ▁fought ▁under ▁Sci pio ▁A em ilian us ▁at ▁the ▁sie ge ▁of ▁Num ant ia , ▁where , ▁through ▁friendship ▁with ▁Roman ▁arist ocr ats , ▁he ▁had ▁formed ▁an ▁acquaint ance ▁with ▁Roman ▁man ners ▁and ▁military ▁tact ics . ▁M ici ps a , ▁wor ried ▁that ▁at ▁his ▁death ▁Jug ur tha ▁would ▁us ur p ▁the ▁kingdom ▁from ▁his ▁own ▁somewhat ▁less ▁able ▁sons , ▁adopted ▁him , ▁and ▁be que athed ▁the ▁king ship ▁joint ly ▁to ▁his ▁two ▁sons ▁and ▁Jug