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Africa (1st–5th c.)Politics and state

Roman annexation of Mauretania

Caligula had King Ptolemy of Mauretania, the son of Juba II, executed; after the revolt led by Ptolemy’s freedman Aedemon was crushed, Claudius divided the kingdom into two provinces, Mauretania Tingitana and Mauretania Caesariensis.

Date
40 – between 42 and 44start: year known; end: exact date unknown: an interval is given · duration: ≈ 3 years
Place
Caesarea in Mauretaniatoday: Cherchell, Tipaza Province, Algeria · Africa
Participants
Caligula, Ptolemy of Mauretania, Aedemon, Claudius, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, Roman Empire
Threads
Africa (1st–5th c.)
Also known as
Annexation of Mauretania; Revolt of Aedemon; Восстание Эдемона

Caligula summoned Ptolemy to Rome in late 39 or early 40 and in 40 had him put to death — out of envy of his wealth, according to one account, or because the king’s purple cloak drew the admiration of the crowd at a gladiatorial show, according to another. Mauretania rose in revolt under Aedemon, a freedman loyal to the dead king, although an inscription from Volubilis shows that a significant part of that town’s people fought against him.

Claudius sent Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, who in 41 or 42 became the first Roman commander to lead troops across the Atlas Mountains, and Gnaeus Hosidius Geta, and together they put down the revolt. The kingdom was divided along the river Mulucha (Moulouya) into Mauretania Tingitana, with its capital at Tingis (Tangier), and Mauretania Caesariensis, with its capital at Caesarea. The creation of the provinces is dated to 42 in some sources and to 44 in others.

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Sources

  1. Wikipedia (English): Ptolemy of Mauretania
  2. Wikipedia (English): Aedemon
  3. Wikipedia (English): Gaius Suetonius Paulinus
  4. Wikipedia (English): Mauretania Caesariensis
  5. Wikipedia (English): Mauretania
  6. Wikipedia (Russian): Птолемей (царь Мавретании)
  7. Wikipedia (Russian): Эдемон
  8. Wikipedia (Russian): Гай Светоний Паулин
  9. Wikipedia (Russian): Мавретания Цезарейская
  10. Wikipedia (Russian): Мавретания