ANCIENT ROME "Sophonisba receive with intrepidity the poison sent to him by Massinissa". Sofonisba (? - 203 BC); Carthaginian noble; daughter of Hasdrubal Gisco and wife of King Syphax of Numidia; had married him to strengthen the alliance with the Carthaginians against the Romans. After losing her husband in the battle of Magni Campi; Massinissa went to capture it; but fell in love; requited; and married her. Because Scipio wanted to send a prisoner to Rome; fearing not entirely unfounded the woman could incite Massinissa against the empire; he sent his wife a cup of poison to avoid the humiliation of being in chains. Sophonisba drank the tragic wedding gift; preferring to die rather than live as a slave of the Romans. Table illustrated n. 20 from the "Roman History" by Charles Rollin (January 30; 1661 - September 14 1741); "engraved in branches of invention from light Sig. Bartolomeo Pinelli Romano and etched by Mr Raffaele Persichini". Rome; 1833