This article examines Rome’s diplomatic relations with Carthage and Numidia in the period between the Second and Third Punic Wars. Polybius’ suggestion that Rome consistently decided against Carthage in territorial disputes with Numidia in the aftermath of the Second Punic War (Polyb. 31.21.5-6) has often been taken up in explanations of the origins of the Third Punic War. Many ancient and modern accounts accept the implication of a policy of hostility against Carthage, assuming that Rome permitted and even encouraged Masinissa to infringe upon and seize Carthaginian territory. This paper, however, argues that the results of Roman arbitration between Carthage and Numidia do not show a consistent policy intended to undermine Carthage. Rather, Rome sought to maintain the territorial division which was imposed at the end of the Second Punic War throughout the inter-war period; several of its decisions were actually in favour of Carthage. The Third Punic War should not be seen as a culmination of a half-century of Roman hostility towards Carthage.

中文翻译：

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罗马、迦太基和努米底亚：第三次布匿战争前的外交偏袒

本文考察了第二次和第三次布匿战争期间罗马与迦太基和努米底亚的外交关系。波利比乌斯关于罗马在第二次布匿战争后与努米底亚的领土争端中始终决定反对迦太基的建议（波利比乌斯 31.21.5-6）经常被用于解释第三次布匿战争的起源。许多古代和现代的记载都接受了对迦太基的敌对政策的暗示，假设罗马允许甚至鼓励马西尼萨侵犯和占领迦太基的领土。然而，本文认为，迦太基和努米底亚之间的罗马仲裁结果并未显示出旨在破坏迦太基的一致政策。相当，罗马试图维持第二次布匿战争结束时在整个两次世界大战期间强加的领土划分。它的一些决定实际上有利于迦太基。第三次布匿战争不应被视为半个世纪罗马对迦太基敌意的高潮。