Ancient country, North Africa, approximately coextensive with modern Algeria.
During the Second Punic War (see Punic wars), its two great tribes divided, one supporting the Romans and the other the Carthaginians. The tribal chief Masinissa was made king of Numidia after the Roman victory in 201 BC. After the destruction of Carthage , thousands fled to Numidia, which became a Roman province in 46 BC. Its capital was Cirta, and the chief city was Hippo, which was the see of St. Augustine . After its conquest by the Vandal s in AD 429, Roman civilization there declined rapidly; some pockets of native culture survived, however, and even continued after the Arab conquest in the 8th century.