Ill] AND HISTORIC TIMES 239 



excellence of the soil, which was peculiarly adapted for the 

 breeding of horses and the growth of fine crops." South of the 

 Cyrenaica dwelt the Libyan tribes of the Nasamones and the 

 Psylli, behind whom lay the Gaetuli, south of whom in turn 

 lived the Garamantes as already mentioned. 



Next to the Cyrenaica on the west came the territory of 

 Carthage (founded B.C. 826), which bordered on that of the 

 great tribe of the Masylii. In the interior of their land was 

 Cirta (Constantineh), the residence of Masinissa (the Numidian 

 monarch so famous in Roman history as a cavalry commander) 

 and his successors. It was a very strong place, well provided 

 with everything, which it principally owed to Micipsa, who had 

 planted a colony of Greeks there, and raised it to such import- 

 ance that it could put into the field ten thousand cavalry and 

 twice that number of foot. Next Strabo 1 states that above the 

 sea-coast from Carthage to Cephalaea on the one side, and to 

 the territory of the Masaesylii on the other, lay the territory of 

 the Libyphoenicians, which extended inland up to the moun- 

 tain region occupied by the Gaetuli, beyond whom lay the 

 Garamantes, of whom we have already spoken, and who were 

 said to be fifteen days' journey from the temple of Ammon (in 

 the Oasis of Suva). " Between the Gaetuli and the coast of our 

 sea there are many plains and many mountains, great lakes 

 and rivers. The inhabitants are simple in their mode of life 

 and in their dress; they marry numerous wives and have 

 numerous children ; in other respects they are like the nomad 

 Arabs. The hoofs both of horses and oxen are longer than in 

 other countries. The breeding of horses is most carefully seen 

 to by the kings ; so much so that the number of colts is yearly 

 estimated at one hundred thousand 2 ." 



West of the Masylii lay the Masaesylii, next to whom came 

 the great tribes of the Mauri, who occupied all the region as far 

 as the ocean. Strabo states 3 that "although the Mauri inhabit 

 a country the greatest part of which is very fertile, yet the 

 people in general continue even to this time to live like nomads. 

 They bestow care to improve their looks by plaiting their hair, 



1 Strabo, 834. 2 835. 3 827. 



