Editing Jugurtha (section)

==Rise to power==
When Micipsa died in 118 BC, he was succeeded jointly by Jugurtha and his two sons (Jugurtha's adoptive-brothers) [[Hiempsal I|Hiempsal]] and [[Adherbal (king of Numidia)|Adherbal]]. Hiempsal and Jugurtha quarrelled immediately after the death of Micipsa. Jugurtha had Hiempsal killed, which led to open war with Adherbal. After Jugurtha defeated him in open battle, Adherbal fled to Rome for help. The Roman officials settled the fight by dividing Numidia into two parts, probably in 116, but this settlement was tainted by accusations that the Roman officials accepted bribes to favor Jugurtha. Among the officials found guilty was [[Lucius Opimius]] (who, as consul in 121 BC, had presided over events which led to the death of [[Gaius Gracchus]]).<ref>Plutarch. ''[Lives of] Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus,'' c. 39.  In: Waterfield, Robin. ''Plutarch, Roman Lives,'' pp. 114, 458 (note to p. 114) {{ISBN|978-0-19-282502-5}}</ref> Jugurtha was assigned the western half; later Roman propaganda claimed that this half was also richer, but in truth it was both less populated and less developed.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sallust|title=The Jugurthine War/The Conspiracy of Catiline. Translated with an introduction by S. A. Handford|date=1963|publisher=Penguin|location=London|page=53, footnote|edition=Penguin Classics}}</ref>