Siege of Zama
The Siege of Zama, part of the Jugurthine War, was an investment of the Numidian town of Zama by a Roman army. The Romans were commanded by Quintus Caecilius Metellus, one of the consuls of 109 BC, while the Numidians were under the overall command of Jugurtha, the king of Numidia. The Romans' main objective was to lure Jugurtha into a set-piece battle; the Numidians had been wearing down the Roman legions by guerilla warfare and the Roman commander hoped the siege would pressure the Numidian king into giving battle. Jugurtha did not let himself be goaded into a pitched battle and kept up his opportune attacks while the defenders of Zama kept the Romans at bay. Failing to take the city and failing to provoke the Numidian king into entering a set-piece battle, the Romans gave up on the siege and marched back to the Roman province of Africa.
Q827612
Jugurthine War
EVE
Q102679
Numidian
LOC
Q1892445
Zama
Concept
Q17167
Roman
LOC
Q281025
Quintus Caecilius Metellus
PER
Q40779
consuls
Concept
Q2916416
Numidians
UNK
Q156173
Jugurtha
PER
Q96405659
Siege of Zama
UNK
location
location
significant event
position held