Naravas ( Old Libyan: ''Nrbs(h)''; , ) was a 3rd Century BCE

Numidia Numidia was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunisia and Libya. The polity was originally divided between ...

n chief who fought in the

Mercenary War The Mercenary War, also known as the Truceless War, was a mutiny by troops that were employed by Ancient Carthage, Carthage at the end of the First Punic War (264241 BC), supported by uprisings of African settlements revolting against C ...

, he first joined the rebels, but changed sides in 239 BCE.

Alliance with Hamilcar Barca

During the Mercenary War, Naravas had joined the army of Spendius. During a critical time, he switched his allegiance to

Hamilcar Barca Hamilcar Barca or Barcas (; – 228BC) was a Ancient Carthage, Carthaginian general and statesman, leader of the Barcid family, and father of Hannibal, Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal and Mago Barca, Mago. He was also father-in-law to Hasdrubal the F ...

Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...

. In 239 BC, he arrived at Hamilcar's camp with 2,000 horsemen. This probably saved the Carthaginian army from destruction. His troops pushed back the mercenaries of Mathos, the Libyan chief, at the Battle of Bagradas River. After the battle, he took possession of the town of Utica.

Family

Naravas married the third daughter of

, the sister of

Hannibal Hannibal (; ; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Punic people, Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Ancient Carthage, Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War. Hannibal's fat ...

. Her name is unknown, but

Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , ; ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. He has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country and abroad. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flaubert, realis ...

gave her the name Salammbo in his novel of that name.

References

External links

*
Cannae: the Experience of Battle in the Second Punic War.
3rd-century BC Berber people Ancient mercenaries Numidia Place of birth unknown Year of birth missing Mercenary War {{berber-stub