Niptasan (in berber: (Nibtasan)) is a semi-legendary figure of the ancient Numidia, mentioned as the son of Iles and a member of the Massylii dynasty.
He would be placed in genealogical lists as the successor of his brother Aylimas and predecessor of Zelalsan II as in Numidian tradition, the brothers come before the sons in succession.Agguerabi, Abdelkader. Ancient kings of Numidia : traditions et chronology, 2008, p. 15-17. (fr) The dates of his reign are sometimes placed between 310 (death of Aylimas) and BC, but these remain hypothetical, due to a lack of direct sources.Ghaki, Mansour. Numides, Numidie, Berber Encyclopedia, 2010, p. 42‑44. (fr)
This era preceded the greater involvement of Numidian rulers in Mediterranean affairs, particularly during the conflicts between Carthage and Rome that culminated in the Second Punic War (218–201 BCE).Polybius, Histories.
Informations about Niptasan comes primarily from oral tradition studies, rather than from contemporary documents or period writings.Ghaki, Mansour. Numidians, Numidia, Berber Encyclopedia, 2010, pp. 42–44. Historians emphasize that historical documentation for this period of Numidia is extremely limited or completely inexistant, and that figures like Niptasan should be considered semi-legendary or even entirely fictional.
It would seem that after his death, he was succeeded by his brother Zelalsan II.
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