1Later the Phoenicians, some to reduce the population at home, others from desire for power, after stirring up the common people and others eager for revolution, founded Hippo, Hadrumetum, Lepcis and other cities on the sea coast; 1and these, soon greatly enlarged, were some a protection, others an ornament, to their mother cities. 2As for Carthage, I think it better to be silent than to say too little, since time warns me to hurry on elsewhere. 3Accordingly, starting from Catabathmos, the place which divides Egypt from Africa, following the coast, first is Cyrene, a colony of the Theraeans, and then the two Syrtes and between them Lepcis, then the Altars of the Philaeni, the place which the Carthaginians had as the boundary of their empire towards Egypt, and after that other Punic cities.
4The other regions as far as Mauretania the Numidians hold; nearest to Spain are the Moors. 5Beyond Numidia, we are told, the Gaetulians live, some in huts, others wandering in a more uncivilised way; beyond them are the Ethiopians, and then lands burnt up by the heat of the sun. 7So at the time of the Jugurthine War the Roman people governed through its magistrates most of the Punic towns and the territory which the Carthaginians had held most recently; 7a large part of the Gaetulians and the Numidians as far as the river Muluccha were under Jugurtha; 7over all the Moors ruled King Bocchus, who knew nothing of the Roman people beyond its name, and was likewise unknown to us before either in war or in peace.
8Enough has been said about Africa and its inhabitants for the needs of my subject.