NUMID'IA ( Lat., from Numido, Numidian, nomad, from Gk. Pokas, names, nomad. from vegetv, ntmcin, to pasture, to distribute). Orig inally the Roman name for that part of Northern Africa lying between the provinces of Africa Pro prja and Mauretania, corresponding very nearly to the modern Algeria. It was bounded on the west by the river Muluchn (now Muluya), which separated it from Nlauretania, and on the east by the river Tnsca (now Wadi-el-Berber). On the south it reached to the chains of Mount Atlas and the Laens 0111S, Nvhieb separated it from the land of the el:et ulians and Libya. The inhabitants of Numidia, as of Mauretania, belonged to the race f • which the modern Berbers are descended. They were a warlike race and excelled as horsemen, but were faithless and unscrupulous. Of their tribes, the Nassyli in the east and the Masser:TN in the west were the most powerful. In the great struggle be tween the Carthaginians and the Romans they at first fought on the side of the former, but subsequently the King of the eastern Numidians, Masinissa (q.v.), joined the Itomans. and ren
dered them effective service in the war with lannibal. Favored by the conquerors, he united all Nutuidia under his sway. Of his successors in this kingdom, Jugurtha and Juba I, are the most famous. After the victory of Ca.sar over Juba in the African war, Numidia became a Roman province. (n.e. 46) under the name of Africa N(Ml, hilt Augustus a ft ,.rwa rds gave the western part—from the river Ampsaga, now Wadiel-Kebir—with Alauretania to Juba and t he eastern part was united with Africa Vetus to form the new Province. of Africa. The Emperor Septimius Severns erected Numidia once more into a preevinee. It was conquered suc cessively by the Vandals, the Byzant hies. and the Arabs. Before the invasion of the Vandals, Numidia was a stronghold of African Chris tianity, and the jealousy between the Nu ]]] i ( lian bishops and the clergy of Carthage was one of the causes that brought about the Donatist Schism. See Dox.yrisTs.