Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus (ca 160 BC - 91 BC) was the leader of the conservative faction of the Roman Senate and a bitter enemy of Gaius Marius. In his youth he was sent to Athens, where he studied under Carneades, celebrated philosopher and great master of oratory. He returned ostensibly cultured and with brilliant oratorical skills. He was a Quaestor in 126 BC, a Tribune in 121 BC, an Aedile in 118 BC, a Praetor in 115 BC, Governor of Sicily in 114 BC and elected Consul in 109 BC, whereupon he led the war in Numidia against Jugurtha. The war dragged out into a long and seemingly endless campaign as the Romans tried to inflict a decisive defeat on Jugurtha.