Syphax (, Sýphax; , ) was a king of the Masaesyli tribe of western Numidia (present-day Algeria) during the last quarter of the 3rd century BC. His story is told in Livy's Ab Urbe Condita (written c. 27–25 BC). He ruled over a territory extending from present day Constantine to Moulouya. The territory from the Moulouya and the Strait of Gibraltar and Tingis they were under the influence of Syphax in some periods.
Second Punic War
thumb|Extent of the Masaesylii Kingdom under Syphax between 220 and 206 BC
When a second war broke out between Carthage and Rome in 218 BC, Syphax was initially sympathetic to the Romans. In 213BC, he concluded an alliance with the Romans and they sent Quintus Statorius as a military advisor to help Syphax train his troops. He then attacked the rival tribe of eastern Numidians, the Massylians, ruled by King Gala, who at that time were allied to the Carthaginians. When Gala died in 206BC, his sons Masinissa and Oezalces quarreled about the inheritance, and Syphax was able to conquer considerable parts of the eastern Numidian kingdom.
Negotiations with Rome and Carthage
thumb|King Syphax of Numidia receives [[Scipio Africanus - Alessandro Allori (1535–1607) - sala di Léon X, Villa di Poggio a Caiano.]]
After the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio was victorious in the Battle of Ilipa (206BC), he sent his friend Gaius Laelius to visit Syphax to ratify the treaty with Rome. Syphax, however, refused to ratify any treaty except with Scipio, so Scipio sailed with two quinqueremes to meet with Syphax, taking a considerable risk in doing so. In fact he arrived at the Numidian harbor at exactly the same time as Hasdrubal Gisco (who had fled from Spain) anchored there on his way back to Carthage. Scipio's ship managed to make harbor before Gisco's seven triremes could make out to intercept them, and in a neutral harbor, Gisco dared not act against the Romans. Syphax invited both to dinner, where both Syphax and Gisco were taken in by Scipio's charm.