Nŭmĭda, ae, m., = Νομάς,
I a nomad : Arabia Numidarum, Vitr. 8, 3, 8 ( = Arabia Nomadum, Plin. 5, 16, 15, § 72): Numidas dicimus quos Graeci Νομάδας, sive quod id genus hominum pecoribus negotietur, sive quod herbis, ut pecora aluntur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 173 Müll.—
II In partic., a Numidian; usually in the plur., Nŭmĭ-dae , ārum, the Numidians, a people of Northern Africa, between Mauritania and the territory of Carthage , in the modern Algiers , Sall. J. 46, 3; 66, 2; 89, 7; Liv. 29, 31; 34; Verg. A. 4, 41; Hor. C. 3, 11, 47.— Enslaved and used in Rome as mounted attendants and messengers, Sen. Ep. 87, 8; 123, 6; Tac. H. 2, 40; Inscr. Orell. 2877: Numidarum columnae, i. e. of Numidian marble , Juv. 7, 182.—In gen. plur. : Numidūm gentes, Mart. 12, 26, 6.—In sing.: Numida, Sall. J. 12, 4.—
2 As adj., of or belonging to the Numidians, Numidian : Numidae jaculatores, Liv. 28, 11; Numidae leones, Ov. A. A. 2, 183; Numida dens, i. e. ivory , id. P. 4, 9, 28: ursos figebat Numidas, Juv. 4, 100.—
3 A Roman surname : Plotius Numida, Hor. C. 1, 36.—
B Hence,
1 Nŭmĭdĭa , ae, f., the country of Numidia , Mel. 1, 6, 1; Plin. 5, 3, 2, § 22; Sall. J. 8, 1; 13, 2; 16, 5; Col. 3, 12, 6 et saep.— Whence, Nŭmĭdĭānus , a, um, adj, Numidian , Plin. 15, 15, 16, § 55.—
2 Nŭmĭ-dĭcus , a, um, adj., Numidian : equi Numidici, Liv. 30, 6: scuta, Sall. J. 94, 1: cedri, Plin. 16, 40, 79, § 216: gallina, Col. 8, 2, 2; called also Numidicae aves, Plin. 10, 48, 67, § 132: marmor, called also Libycum, Poenum, id. 5, 3, 2, § 22; 36, 6, 8, § 49; Sen. Ep. 86, 6: Numidicus, a surname of Q. Caecilius Metellus, bestowed on him for his victory over Jugurtha , Vell. 2, 11, 2; Aur. Vict. Vir. Ill. 62, 1.