He was father-in-law to the Numidian king Jugurtha,[1][2] with whom he initially allied against the Romans in the Jugurthine War, a lengthy and indecisive conflict.

Several locations in North Africa bear etymologically related names, such as the city of Aokas in Algeria, and Djebel Ouekkas in Tunisia.

[1] Roman historian Sallust in Bellum Jugurthinum (The Jurguthine War) notes:[4] All the Moors were ruled by King Bocchus, who knew nothing of the Roman people save their name and was in turn unknown to us before that time either in peace or in war.According to Sallust, by custom Bocchus had many wives[2] and four known children: his daughter (name unknown), who married Jugurtha of Numidia; his eventual heir Sosus/Mastanesosus; and two other sons, Bogud (not to be confused with king Bogud) and Volux.

As Jugurtha continued to evade the Romans and the war dragged on, Bocchus began reconsidering the alliance and sought a consultation with an ambitious quaestor named Sulla.

[5] Bocchus was a reliable supplier of exotic African animals to Rome, including panthers and lions for Roman spectacles.