Was Masinissa a Roman puppet vassal king?

Answer 1

The term was Client King - he accepted Rome's hegemony, and paid tribute to Rome. He was initially an ally of Carthage, and fought with them in Spain and Africa, but became disillusioned and switched to the Roman side, his cavalry being decisive in Scipio's defeat of Hannibal at Zama, which ended the Second Punic War. After that he became king of Numidia and, as a Roman ally, was used clandestinely by Rome (which had a peace treaty with Carthage) to provoke and harrass Carthage. Eventually the Carthaginians responded in force to defend themselves, and this gave Rome the excuse, that Carthage was attacking a Roman ally, to open the Third Punic War and destroy Carthage utterly.