Numidian Kings and Numidian Garrisons during the Second Punic War: Coins and History

Abstract

The silver series of Apollo with a prancing horse and Punic lettering was minted in Agrigentum in the years 211/210 B.C.,1 on behalf of the main body of cavalry of the Numidian chief Mottones, whilst the bronze series of Persephone/Demeter with a prancing horse was coined in Morgantina on behalf of a smaller Numidian detachment based in that city at the same time. Mottones fought in Sicily fi rst on the side of Carthage against Rome, and then for Rome against Carthage. Th is change of allegiance can be traced in his Sicilian series. Th e Apollo issues with the figure of the prancing horse on the reverse provide an excellent clue for tracing all the Numidian garrisons of Hannibal and Mottones in Italy during the Second Punic War. Th ese garrisons were based in the towns of Capua-Mons Tifata, Arpi, Salapia, Th urium, Larinum, Beneventum and Luceria at diff erent times between the years 216 and 208/7. In Spain the series with the prancing horse were minted in Carthago Nova at the years 212/211-209, on behalf of the Numidian troops of Massinissa.