Bocchus
2. Probably a son of the preceding, and a brother of Bogud, who is expressly called a son of Bocchus I. (
Oros. 5.21.)
These two brothers for a time possessed the kingdom of Mauretania in common, and, being hostile to the Pompeian party, J. Caesar confirmed them, in B. C. 49, as kings of Mauretania, which some writers describe as if Caesar had then raised them to this dignity. In Caesar's African war, Bocchus was of great service, by taking Cirta, the capital of Juba, king of Numidia, and thus compelling him to abandon the cause of Scipio. Caesar rewarded him with a portion of the dominions of Masinissa, the ally of Juba, which however was taken from him, after the death of Caesar, by Arabion, the son of Masinissa.
There is a statement in Dio Cassius (43.36), that, in B. C. 45, Bocchus sent his sons to Spain to join Cn. Pompey. If this is true, it can only be accounted for by the supposition, that Bocchus was induced by jealousy of his brother Bogud to desert the cause of Caesar and join the enemy; for all we know of the two brothers shews that the good understanding between them had ceased. During the civil war between Antony and Octavianus, Bocchus sided with the latter, while Bogud was in alliance with Antony. When Bogud was in Spain, B. C. 38, Bocchus usurped the sole government of Mauretania, in which he was afterwards confirmed by Octavianus.
He died about B. C. 33, whereupon his kingdom became a Roman province. (
D. C. 41.42,
43.3,
36,
48.45,
49.43; Appian,
App. BC 2.96,
4.54,
5.26; Hirt.
B. Afr. 25;
Strab. xvii. p.828.)
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