Julius Caesar arrived at Lilybaeum in Sicily on 17 December 47 BC and built up an invasion force there to crush the Optimates in Africa.

He set sail on 25 December, but his poor planning based on limited information about a good landing site and strong winds scattered his convoy.

[4] Having failed to concentrate his force, Caesar lacked the strength to besiege or compel the surrender of Hadrumentum and set up camp near Ruspina.

Caesar therefore deployed his army in a single extended line to prevent envelopment, with his small force of 150 archers up front and the 400 cavalry on the wings.

In a surprising move, Labienus then extended his cavalry on both flanks to envelop Caesar, bringing up his Numidian light infantry in the center.

However Marcus Petreius and Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso appeared with 1,600 Numidian cavalry and a large number of light infantry who harassed Caesar's legionaries as they retreated.

Caesar redeployed his army for combat and launched a counterattack that drove the Optimates forces back over high ground.

However, his army remained intact; Caesar fortified his camp at Ruspina and equipped sailors as light infantry to serve on land.